


A Dark Path to Redemption

by Kelkat9



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Aggression, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Dark Character, Dark Doctor (Doctor Who), F/M, Mythology - Freeform, Romance, Smut, Telepathic Sex, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-21
Updated: 2014-03-28
Packaged: 2017-12-27 05:24:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 58,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/974932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kelkat9/pseuds/Kelkat9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>London was in darkness, a thick cloud of misery hung over the city.  This was no natural phenomena.  The cause was simple and yet so complicated.  A being shrouded in his own personal misery and guilt had settled amongst them forcing them to suffer with him.  He was a former god of the universe living in his own personal hell.  Until, he met a certain golden haired girl, an echo from when he was once happy.  She might be the key to his redemption and in turn the release of London from its dark and gloomy fate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for dryadalis for her birthday. It sort of exploded into a multi-part story. The rating on this may go up.

London had not seen the sun in years. Instead, it had been continually shrouded in the thick dark unrelenting clouds that doused it in alternating mist, cold winds or sleet. This blanket of gray extended hundreds of kilometers from the city center, although, those on the perimeter of the cloud coverage zone were blessed with a few rays of sunshine every now and then. Such a gloomy atmosphere affected all those who lived in the city. As the trees and plants died or adapted to the climate change, metamorphosing into almost different species, the same could be said of those that lived in the city. Coats, hats, rain gear and warm clothing were part of everyday life all year round. Buildings with greenhouses with elaborate systems to mimic the lost sun were for the wealthy and elite. Those not so fortunate, could hope for a glimpse of what London used to look like in museums which now included man made green spaces to remind people of what once existed, what people once took for granted until it was gone.

No one knew why this gloom had settled over the city. Scientists had theories but nothing they could prove. Some said it was God's punishment for human kind's sins on Earth. Others, blamed aliens and declared it the apocalypse. The truth was far more complicated and yet simple at the same time. One person knew the answer to why the city had been cloaked in a gray mantel of despair and gloom. A tall man with brown disheveled hair walked the streets and alleyways of the city dressed not unlike the Londoners who called that place their home. He always wore a brown pinstripe suit and a long brown coat with worn and muddied trainers. He looked like any other person on the street except if anyone looked into his eyes, they would see something ancient, cold and dark. This man was no man at all. He was something from myth and legend long forgotten by the sentient beings on Earth. If they knew what walked among them and they had any sense, they would run.

He called himself the Doctor, not that he ever really helped anyone. Once, long ago, his name meant something more, healer, protector, defender against those who would prey upon the weak. Now, it was almost an irony that he still called himself that title given his apathy for life in general. Very rarely did he even interact with the people on the street, maintaining an air of almost invisibility. It was as if most people couldn't or didn't want to see him. As for the Doctor, he seemed almost passive, observing those around him as they raced to and fro to their homes, jobs and any small amount of joy they could squeeze out of their short lived lives. He had existed for millennia and regarded humans as mayflies, existing for a blink of an eye, never knowing how precarious their lives were or what really controlled this planet. His people were the true sovereigns over all of creation. They were gods of the universe. At least, that's what the humans on this planet used to call them.

Of course, that was a time before the war which destroyed his people, when he had become a warrior and fought not just alongside his people but against them as well. He was the sole survivor, at least, that he was aware of. He had not found one hint of any others and Gallifrey, his people's Olympus or Valhalla was gone forever and he was to blame. His penance was walking alone on this world, watching the humans scurry around the wet and muddied streets of this city he once enjoyed. His existence was pain and darkness and thus he dragged this place down with him into his own purgatory. The humans could never understand his misery but he could give them this glimpse. He would share his suffering and so he walked the streets, sidewalks and alleys of this cursed city, his dark mood radiating around him causing people to give him a wide berth.

Each day was the same as he wandered the city, watching, disdaining and judging those around him. Sometimes he would venture inside one of their entertainment venues, listening to concerts, watching films or consuming their limited resources. It was all bland to him. Everything was boring or useless. It did occur to him to end it all with the humans, destroy it all and perhaps himself along with it. He was too much a coward for that.

It was another dismal day as he walked down the crowded, dirty and rain-soaked streets watching the throngs of people push and shove as they tried to make their way to their destination as quickly as possible when something changed. He felt it before it happened, a tremor in time, a moment of chance when the world would shift one way or another. He quickened his pace pulling his coat tighter around him and wiping his drooping brown locks off his face and into even more disarray. His double hearts began beating harder as he followed his senses to find out what was about to happen. It had been centuries since such an occurrence and despite his foul and miserable mood, he was intrigued. He had just turned a corner when someone on a motorcycle splashed him with dirty water coating his already doused and mud caked coat. He stopped and directed furious brown eyes at the cyclist who had the misfortune to hit a slick in the road and skidded into a nasty crash. The brown coated man smirked at this and then continued on his quest, traversing an alley filled with bins overflowing with trash, rats scampering for cover and a few homeless denizens seeking shelter in cardboard boxes that afforded little protection from the weather.

He emerged in a less affluent part of town. It wasn't the same bustling atmosphere he had just left. There were a few groups huddled outside of shops, mostly younger people. Shouting could be heard over the din of music and automobile traffic in the distance. He scanned the area and could feel the disturbance not far off. He walked by a chip shop where the scent of grease and fried food enveloped him triggering memories of a time when he used to enjoy some of the finest cuisine the universe had to offer. That's when the temporal reverberations practically smacked him in the face. Whatever this was, it was near that spot and that's when he saw them, humanoid figures dressed in typical dark clothing. They were pale with hooded coats obscuring any features that would set them apart, show that they weren't human. They appeared to be stalking human prey…on his world. Fury raged through him. No one hunted on his world, invaded his territory without permission and he very rarely allowed any off worlders to trespass his domain.

He followed them into a vacant park littered with the skeletal remains of what used to be magnificent trees but now was nothing but gravel, mud and bare and decaying limbs reaching upward toward the grey sky as if trying to claw their way to the shrouded sun. His anger and overconfidence was his first mistake. They were waiting for him. He cursed as they tackled him to the ground and then pulled him up snarling and hissing, "What have we here? Could this be the great Doctor, the Oncoming Storm and Destroyer of Worlds?"

They knew him and he couldn't deny those cutting titles. It's who he was.

One held his arms back while another punched him in the gut and face. "We lost our world because of your kind! You abandoned us to the darkness that swallowed everything we were!"

He spit out red blood and looked at their faces. "This is my world and you don't have permission to be here," he said in a deceptively calm voice as one of them hit him again.

"You know what we are? What we were?" one of three creatures demanded after another kicked him in the abdomen.

He coughed and looked at that them again, his eyes dark and unsympathetic. "You're the Gelth or what remains of them."

He endured a few more blows before they spoke again. "What remains of us is your fault! Our planet was lost and our bodies are dying, decaying from the power you unleashed! We were forced to find compatible species to save us. You turned us into scavengers when we were once one of the revered worlds of the seven systems! Look at what you've done!"

They pulled their hoods down to show not just pale skin but translucent and deteriorating. They were hairless and he could see veins pulsing beneath their thin almost sickly skin. It was like their flesh was disintegrating or dissolving. The one hitting him had sunken milky eyes and a concave jaw with flesh hanging off. "Take a good look at what you caused," he growled out. "You did this to us, made us who we are now."

"Your world was part of the war as much as mine. Did your people hesitate or turn away at the battle of the Nightmare Child? Did they flinch at Arcadia. No. They destroyed and murdered as much as anyone in that war. They suffered as much as they made others suffer over and over again. I did what I had to in order to end it."

Another stepped forward. "We were used! Disposable warriors for your people! We had no warning until you used the final sanction, uncaring of who was hurt in the process of winning the war. You didn't care who you hurt. So now, Doctor, we do not care. We take what you covet here on this primitive festering world filled with this dirty, primitive species. Their inferior flesh will make us whole and you will watch as we take back what was stolen from us!"

He stared at them coldly. They felt triumphant thinking they were hurting him. Little did they know that he could wipe them out, end their miserable existence in the blink of an eye. He'd done it before. Memories of the war, the inferno destroying his home world and the scream and telepathic feelings of terror and pain filled his mind. He felt no sympathy toward these creatures even if they were victims. They had broken the violated this world that was his and he was about to pass judgment on them.

At least he was, until a certain blonde otherwise known as the temporal point in flux he had been tracking down, showed up. He felt her before the Gelth even knew what was happening. One minute they were beating him and gloating over their perceived revenge and the next his little blonde savior was tossing them to ground and easily dodging their cumbersome attempts at defending themselves. She was quick and strong, knowing where to hit her opponents to incapacitate them. Well, incapacitate them if they were human. Lucky for her, the Gelth were already weak and suffering. A few well placed kicks from her likely shattered their fragile bodies leaving them a groaning heap on the muddy ground. She grabbed his hand and yelled, "Run!"

The moment her warm hand clasped with his, he felt a jolt and then she was tugging him away. Humans rarely looked at him much less touched him, and yet this slip of a girl was charging in to the rescue. He was helpless to resist and ran beside her until she tugged him into the chip shop he'd passed earlier. She was panting slightly as they slid into an old worn booth and she slipped the pink hood off her head and looked at him. "You all right, mate?"

He found himself hesitating. She couldn't have been more than nineteen with shoulder length blonde hair, creamy skin and the most luminous hazel eyes he'd seen in a long while. Time wasn't just in flux around her, it curled lovingly around her in ribbons. She was important in a way most humans weren't. If his people had been around, she would have been plucked off this world and secreted back to his home world for study. But, his people weren't here, he was. After gazing into her eyes a moment too long and a frown furrowing her brow, he realized he hadn't responded to her.

"I'm all right. Just ran into a bit of trouble in the park."

She smiled then and it was like the sun broaching the blanket of clouds over the city. It was quite possibly the most luminous smile he'd ever seen and that was saying something.

"Only a bit? Looked more like a lot to me," she said, still smiling and showing a hint of mischievous tongue.

She was flirting with him. Once he got over the fact and noticed a chippy employee at the counter was glaring at him, he spoke.

"Yes well, might have been more than just a bit and then you did come barreling in to intervene on my behalf like the blonde avenger. Kind of dangerous that, and why are we in a chip shop?" he asked his brow furrowing.

She giggled. "'Cos I'd like some chips. Always have chips after a bit of excitement. It's like a rule here on the estate."

"Is it? Well, I suppose I could do that…"

Rose looked amused. "Well, I did save you so I think you're buying today. I'm Rose by the way, Rose Tyler," she said and held out her hand.

He gazed into her eyes and saw something sparkling in their depths. Slowly, he reached over and took her warm hand in his cool one and gently squeezed. "The Doctor."

She cocked her head to the side. "Just the Doctor?"

He nodded.

"Think you're impressive, do ya?" she teased.

He sat up straighter. "I am impressive."

She laughed again. "Well impress me with some chips then."

He felt a smile just barely emerging, but shoved it down. He was not allowing her to amuse him. He was dark, dangerous and eternal and she was just some pink and yellow human, barely a blip to his existence. She would never understand his burden. He reached into his pockets and then shrugged at her. "No money."

She laughed again. "Well, you're a cheap date. Fine, I'll buy the chips this time." She stood up and walked to the counter and ordered for them.

He watched her, puzzled. She saved him in the park from what she assumed was a dire situation and now she was buying him chips.

As Rose had ordered chips for the strange bloke she'd just saved from a beating in the park, she couldn't help but think of lectures her Mum had given her about getting involved in other peoples troubles. Her mum would be furious if she knew what Rose had done. Rose, herself, was a little surprised that she was here in a chip shop buying chips for the unhappy looking stranger. For all she knew, he could have deserved getting pummeled or that she interrupted a drug deal gone wrong. She looked back once over her shoulder to find his sad brown eyes examining her. No, she thought, that wasn't who he was. She turned back and stared at the worn blue plastic counter which had names etched on its surface. This Doctor didn't have the look of a drug user or even a bloke that was perpetually pissed.

There was something different about him. He wasn't the typically lost soul or suffering from the London blues. More important than how he looked, which to be frank, was a bit fit, was that there was something drawing her to him. She didn't understand it but she wanted to help him even if he seemed to not want it and maybe that was the point. Everyone needed a hand at some point. Rose remembered her own mucked up life until she went home to her mum. That had been a low day and she was still digging herself out. Still, it was just an hour or two from her day off, she could spend it with a stranger if she wanted. There was nothing wrong with doing a good deed, especially for someone who looked like him. Her mind made up to get to know this Doctor better, she carried their chips and drinks over and sat down opposite him.

His eyes followed her as she doused her chips with vinegar and dug into them closing her eyes as she ate as if they were ambrosia. He was fascinated just watching her.

As she ate, she was aware of how intensely he observed her. It was unnerving her. She looked up and arched a brow. "Not hungry?"

"What?" he said, startled that she'd noticed him watching her.

"You're sittin' there watchin' me. Chips are best hot and these…" She paused and ate one looking like she was in ecstasy. "are gorgeous," she finished and looked at him expectantly.

A smile quirked through his normally bland face. It felt odd as it had been so long but he couldn't help it. She just brought it out of him. The absurdity of the situation did not elude him. She had stopped him from destroying the pathetic refuge Gelth and left them with a beating they wouldn't soon forget and now she was feeding him chips. Him, the Oncoming Storm, a lord of time, over a millennia old living amongst mortal humans, and she wanted to feed him. Without another thought he ate one. His body was capable of analyzing the chemical composition of the chip but for once, all he did was enjoy the taste and she was right, it was good. It shocked him. He ate another and another while she looked on in amusement.

"You act like you haven't had chips before or haven't eaten in a while. Is that it? You homeless?"

He looked up at her, a mouth full of half chewed chips and swallowed. It almost stuck in his throat as he thought about her innocent question which had so much truth in it. "Yeah, you could say that."

Compassion oozed out of her and wrapped around him in a way that he revolted against. He didn't deserve it. "Don't feel sorry for me!" he snapped. "It's my fault, my responsibility."

The warm look that had briefly flickered in his eyes vanished. Rose sat back and watched him retreat into a dark, hardened shell. She'd seen people like this before. They hid from the world, afraid of the pain of becoming involved, or risking their heart.

"Well, if you need a place to stay, there's a shelter nearby run by a friend of mine, Wilf Mott. They won't preach at you much over there but they will give you a safe spot out of the cold. If you need it, that is."

"I told you, I'm all right." He leaned back and stared out of the smudged, dirty window of the chip shop at the rain falling outside. "I'm always all right."

Rose snorted. "Yeah right, 'cos you look so perfectly fine covered in dirt and blood. Well, it's you're choice. Anyway…." She didn't finish her sentence but instead continued eating her chips. Her mobile rang and she looked down at it and cursed, gathering up her chips to take with her. She stood up and zipped up her pink hoody. "I've got to go. Look, it was nice meeting you, Doctor. Take care and…try to avoid walkin' into dangerous parks, yeah?" As she walked away she paused and looked at him. "You're worth more than you think. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." She turned and exited the chip shop.

He sat there for a few minutes, stunned. Who was this Rose Tyler? Why did he suddenly feel just a bit lighter? She was human and yet something about her was different. Being around her was like a soft echo of his home. It sparkled in her eyes tantalizing and taunting him. He had to know more. He finished the chips and licked the salt off his fingers as he thought of her. He left the chip shop and the rain had diminished to a mist. He saw the three Gelth from earlier shove a girl in an alley muffling her screams. A darkness fell over his face as he stepped into the street oblivious to the chaos his presence caused as vehicles skidded and crashed into one another. His coat flared about him as he stalked into the alley. He could have cared a less about the screaming girl. This was about making a point.

"I told you, this is my world and you don't have permission to be here," he said in a soft voice that should have warned them. They looked up at him baring their teeth like animals.

"You should have run when you had the chance!" one snarled.

"No, you should have. No second chances, that's the kind of man I am." That was the last thing they heard as he pulled time into, around and through them, turning them into nothing but dust washed away down the dirty street as a terrified girl cut and bleeding watched in terror. Later, she would tell a story, about a howling wind screamed through the alley and blew her assailants away. It was the only way her mind could process what had really happened.


	2. Chapter 2

He convinced himself it was a coincidence, that he wasn't looking for her, but that was a lie. As the rain pelted down on the city and its bustling inhabitants, washing down the buildings in dirty rivers pooling on the streets beneath, the Doctor stood before one of the more prominent shopping establishments, Henriks. The exterior of the multi-storey brick structure was darkened by the inclement weather and constant rain and damp soaking into the porous red brick causing it to look weathered and dirty. The windows, however, were lit up and displayed bright clothing illuminated to entice one to enter, promising a virtual paradise of prints, colour, fabrics and all things luxurious that one needed to battle the gloom of the city. It was exactly the sort of place the Doctor hated. To him it was all fake, a lie meant to trick the population into thinking life was better or brighter than it actually was. Yet, here he was standing outside the glass double doors, the rain dripping off his hair and splashing onto his long brown coat. As if unable to control his own movements, he entered the building.

Inside, Henriks was the complete antithesis of the murky and miserable weather outside. Bright lights reflected off a polished marble floor and gleaming chrome racks. Festive modern music played causing the Doctor to grimace. The air carried the scent of expensive perfume and newly fabricated clothing and everything was clean and sparkling. He scanned the artsy displays of clothing and rain dampened shoppers whose moods were elevated just stepping into this false Eden of retail splendour. His nostrils flared and he wore his disgust like a heavy cloak around him as he stalked through the store, his very aura making flirtatious and friendly sales girls go scampering off. He took the escalator two steps at a time as he made his way up to the next floor, brushing by shoppers who shuddered as if a brisk and bitter wind had enveloped them.

It didn't take him long to find her as he silently prowled around displays of designer clothing. She was folding sweaters and looking bored. He felt his mouth quirk at this. A being so at the centre of swirls of time lines, important in a way he didn't understand and yet here she was folding clothing in some mecca of capitalism. He ducked away amidst racks of jeans, and coats as she turned toward him, her brow furrowed. That's when he realized that she sensed his presence. This little pink and yellow human was far more astute and aware of things most humans could barely discern. He had sensed her empathy at the chip shop but now, there was something more blossoming inside of her. Could she be reacting to him? Was his presence a metaphysical trigger? His next thoughts were far darker. What would she become and was she some weapon or a harbinger of universal destruction. The way time was drawn into her, it was entirely possible. He would need to watch her carefully and maintain his distance until he could suss out exactly who and what Rose Tyler was.

Henriks was a good job for Rose. She knew she was really lucky as she could have ended up at a chip shop or at the butchers, jobs that paid meagrely and didn't provide her with much more than a free meal here and there and certainly didn't lead to anything better or the chance to become something more. Her friends who had jobs like that never moved off the estate, ended up married, pregnant and with little to look forward to other than nights at the pub or at home watching the telly. There wasn't anything wrong with all that but it wasn't what Rose wanted. She had dreams of doing more, seeing more of the world and living a different life. At least, that's what she yearned for even if it seemed impossible at the moment. Her mum and sometimes boyfriend, Mickey, liked to point out she should be grateful for what she did have and how she had to get her head out of the clouds. Her mother was always going on about how lucky they all were to have work and roof over their heads. Rose did feel lucky to have good friends and family but she still wanted more and wouldn't apologize for that longing. She wanted to see the sun and the stars. She watched movies about other places and had visited the museums that showed other countries and cities where one could stroll outside and bask in the sun and marvel the stars sparkling in the night sky.

While she slept, Rose had vivid dreams. Her unconscious mind travelled to places she could not, fantastic places. She dreamt about skies the shade of the deepest orange, almost a burnt amber and twin suns burning in the sky like fiery copper globes whose light burnt across forests of silver leafed trees. Sometimes she dreamed of the ocean, deep blue waves topped with froth lapping at a sparkling gold sand beneath a sky painted with nebula and dotted with diamonds. They were just dreams and yet they inspired a deep yearning inside of her. There was so much out there for her to explore and see but it all seemed so impossible. Rose had obligations, financial and to her family. Who would look after her mum or Mickey if she wasn't there? How many times did she hold her mum while her mum poured her heart out after another bloke turned out to be a wanker or how many times did she listen to Mickey talk about how he would own his own mechanic shop or help him home after he'd had one too many. She stopped folding sweaters as she felt the weight of that responsibility and wondered if she'd ever break free of it. Suddenly, she saw an image of herself sitting in a small flat pregnant with screaming children surrounding her. She was run down, pale and lifeless, watching telly and waiting on Mickey to get home from the pub. It was a life lived for someone else, her own dreams and desires sacrificed to make her mum happy. She felt tears prick her eyes and dropped the sweater.

 _No_ , she thought. That's not me but she knew that it was a strong possibility if things didn't change. It would be a safe life, the life everyone wanted for her, ordinary, stagnant, normal. Just, not what she wanted. A spicy scent caught her attention and the hairs on her arms stood up. Rose whipped around expecting to find someone standing behind her but no one was there. It was odd. She had been sure someone was about to tap her on the shoulder. Perhaps it was one of those moments that change your life, a fork in the road when you choose left or right. The bright sweaters before her seemed to mock her with their happy, posh tones. They taunted her with what she couldn't have and it just made her more determined to prove them wrong. She may not be the most brilliant student but she was still clever and quick to learn things. Memories of that scene in the flat lit a fire in her. Maybe she would marry one day and maybe she would have a kid or two but not like that. It would be on her terms.

The rest of her day was spent with a renewed energy. She may even have stolen a few sales from some of the posher dressed sales girls who always looked with disdain at her, dressed in jeans and a hoodie paired with scuffed trainers. Rose didn't care. She smiled brightly at even the most difficult customers and did her best to sell them clothing she thought worked for them whether it was designer or not. While she was doing her best to make sales, she couldn't help but feel like she was missing something out of the corner of her but every time she looked, there was nothing there. The feeling of being watched or that she was missing something stayed with her all day.

It wasn't just that particular day either. The niggling feeling, almost like pin pricks on her skin followed her for days. Even out at the pub with Mickey and his friends, she felt it hovering, like a shadow following her. She wasn't afraid, just curious. It soon became more than curiosity. She even asked friends if they noticed anything different. Mickey rolled his eyes and told her she was working too hard and needed a night out. Of course, that night out ended up more for him than her. On their walk home after Mickey had one too many at the pub, that feeling exploded into something real and terrifying.

Mickey was stumbling along as Rose led him down the darkened street, struggling to avoid some of the more dodgy looking puddles. Mickey was leaning heavily on her and she knew it wouldn't be long before he passed out so she turned down an alley to cut a few minutes off the trip home. A noise caught Rose's attention. A woosh of air and odd scent further alerted her something was off and her instincts kicked in. She shoved Mickey to the cool damp pavement just as the creature swooped down at them from the top of a building. Rose rolled over in time to see something that looked like it was out of a nightmare. Mickey was somewhat incoherent until he caught a glimpse of it and then he scooted through the mud and wet to hide behind an old metal trash bin, whimpering in fear and calling to Rose.

The creature was bat-like in appearance only far larger, man sized at the very least. Rose gasped as she saw it swoop past a light illuminating its brown webbed wings spread out over its long body. It made an ear piercing screech and hovered before diving down toward her with taloned appendages aimed at her. Its eyes glowed red and it bared sharp fangs. Rose felt her heart pounding and could barely comprehend such a creature existed outside of movies and yet there it was sweeping down toward her. She backed up a couple of steps, barely acknowledging Mickey staring in terror behind the old beat up metal bin. She saw a piece of an old metal railing leaned against the brick wall of the alley and reached for it, holding it like a club. It was heavy and wet and slipped in her hands but she held on, watching and waiting for the creature as it flew through the air.

"Oi! You wanna piece of me bat thing?" she taunted. "Come on then!" She tensed up, breathing hard, adrenalin pumping through her system until it was close enough and she swung the heavy metal with all of her might, making contact with the creature with a dull thud. Rose fell backwards against the brick wall on one side as the metal rod she held dropped to the pavement. The bat creature smacked into some trash bins on the other side of the alley. With shaky hands, Rose picked up the wrought iron bar. The creature scampered up and came at her. She felt fear mixed with anger flowing through her. Rose Tyler did not go down without a fight. She jumped back as it tried to slash her with its claws and Rose used the iron bar as a club, swatting at it but doing little damage.

She heard Mickey gasp her name. "Mickey! Get out of here, run!" she shouted as the creature came perilously close to injuring her. She took a few steps back and swung with all her might hitting the creature but it was ready and wrapped its claws around the bar and tugged, knocking her off balance. She lost her grip and fell to onto the pavement, the damp soaking through her jeans. She reached for a bin lid and held it up like a shield as the creature advanced. Just as Rose felt it pounce, a roaring wind blew through the alley and the creature flew backwards heating the brick wall with a sick thud. Rose scrambled up in time to see a tall figure wearing a coat in the shadows. She heard foreign words with a lilting quality being spoken. It was slightly familiar, like a song she heard long ago and yet she couldn't identify the words. The bat creature hissed and staggered forward toward the shadowy figure and then stopped as if frozen in place. The temperature in the alley dropped and the lights flickered until an inky darkness consumed the alley and everything in it. Rose struggled to see through it, worried that something was about to grab her.

She trembled as an icy chill descended and everything went silent. Even the sound of traffic was gone. Then, the lights flickered to life and she found herself staring up at the stranger she had helped in the park a few days ago. He held out his hand which she took without hesitation. He pulled her up, glaring at her.

"You!" she gasped as she took in the tall stranger who she'd saved from an attack in the park. He looked better this time, cleaner, less roughed up, poshly dressed in a suit and coat. His dark brown eyes flashed with annoyance as she took him in from tousled hair to trainers.

"What's wrong with you? Don't you know enough to run when something like that comes after you?" he demanded.

Something about the gruff quality of his voice or perhaps it was his arrogant lecturing attitude set off a defensive and angry reaction in her. "I walk these alleys all the time and I've never seen nothin' like that before! And I wasn't doin' too bad. I knocked it on its arse a bit," she brazenly responded even though she knew she should be thanking him.

He stared at her darkly for a few minutes, cocking his head to the side before a grin emerged.

"You don't really believe that," he said with assurance and almost rocked back on his feet. "In fact, you're relieved I showed up and are just too stubborn to admit it. You, Rose Tyler, have courage unlike most of the inhabitants of this primitive world." He looked over at the cowering Mickey who had vomited near where he was hiding and then turned back to her. "Even if it would have resulted in your death, it was…impressive how you stood up to the Krillitane."

Rose bristled and with hand on her hip shot him a challenging look. "I did better than all right considering that bat thing or whatever you called it, a Krillton, swooped down outta no where tryin' to kill me. What is it anyway?" she asked and tried to look around him where the creature had been.

"Krillitane and you wouldn't understand," he said, scrutinizing her and shoving his hands in his pockets. He observed her trying to find any remains and was amused. Humans could be such curious creatures, even if that curiosity ended in their own demise. Still, most humans in this situation would have run away and not stuck around to ask questions like she was. Even more interesting, she wasn't afraid, she wanted to know more. If time hadn't already been swirling around her in a fascinating manner, her bravery and curiosity would have made him pause. She was just the sort of human he would have…. _No_. That wasn't him anymore. He was only here to determine what she was and if he needed to do anything about her, _not_ to mentor her or judge her worthiness to become anything more like a defender of humankind, a heroine, spirit or demigod or any other immortal creature. Even if she wore the air of something greater than a puny mortal human and so much golden potential oozed out of her pores, he refused to even think about what she could be with the right nudge.

His dark gaze and scowling face almost made her more stubborn and determined to make him tell her. "Try me," she said with an obstinate tilt of her chin. "It's not like I haven't faced off against a bunch of toughs in the park or taught a few muggers a thing or two."

He sighed. She wasn't going to let this go. After rolling his head and shuffling his feet, he growled an answer at her. "It's a creature not of this world, a scavenger of the universe intent on stealing technology or anything of interest from other worlds, including any desirable biologic feature from it's victims." He took a step toward her, standing tall and imposing. "Basically, Rose Tyler, it wanted to kill you and harvest any bits that might make it better. Although, I don't know what interesting bits it could find here," he said with derision. "Humans at this stage of development don't have any particularly interesting biology. You're weak, your bodies don't hold up well, you deteriorate and break easily." His gaze then locked with Rose's. "But you, you're a bit different and it saw that. I think it wanted you in particular."

Rose swallowed hard as he she felt his eyes bore into hers. She should be frightened. He just said an alien came to Earth to kill her and had referred to humans like he wasn't one. There was something about him though, that made her want to challenge him, not let him get away with being an arrogant, condescending prat. She wanted to push him and make him respond to her. It was dangerous, like poking an angry bear but she couldn't stop. He knew something that he wasn't telling, maybe many things. Gazing into his eyes made her feel like she was falling through space, into some dark abyss and yet she wasn't afraid and wanted to know more about him.

"You said humans like you're not one. Are you an alien?" she demanded.

He quirked a dangerous smile at her. It had been a long, long time since anyone challenged him like she had. "First, you save me from some perceived criminal attack and now I return the favour and you want to interrogate me. Shouldn't you be running off with the boy down there wallowing in his own filth?"

Rose looked at Mickey groaning and leaning against the brick wall and bit her lip. She should really get him home. She turned back to her saviour, this Doctor who she had now run into twice. It was not a coincidence, of that she was positive. "You didn't answer my question," she finally said. "Are you some alien then? And why does that thing want me?" She stepped around him to look for a body but found nothing. There was no sign it had even been there.

He chuckled, his eyes lighter and sparkling at her. "Yep!" he answered popping his p's. "Sort of alien but your people might call me something a bit different. Is that a problem?" he asked with an arched brow.

Rose shook her head. "No, don't think so. It's just…I've run into you twice now. Bit odd in a city this size. Wouldn't you say? And you didn't answer my question. Why was that thing after me?"

"Clever Rose," he almost breathed her name and smiled a bit more.

Mickey moaned her name again and she internally cursed. Before she could say anything, the Doctor spoke.

"I'll answer your questions but not here or now. I find I have a new craving for chips thanks to you and I hear chips are always a good idea, especially after a scuffle."

Rose nodded still looking at him with speculation. "Yeah, they are. You're buying this time."

He snorted.

"I've got to get this lunk home," she said, indicating Mickey, now sitting up with his forehead against the metal bin. She pondered this Doctor. Who was he? Homeless bloke in need of help? Or, avenging alien looking for trouble? There was more to him then she'd seen so far, she was sure of it. "Tomorrow at the chip shop?"

He stared at her for a moment, his eyes hard and calculating. He nodded and turned, his coat flaring out dramatically around him and began walking into the darkness of the alley.

"Wait!" Rose shouted. "We didn't set a time."

He paused and looked over his shoulder, a menacing look crossed his face. "Time is irrelevant. Be there and I'll find you, Rose Tyler, if…you're not afraid that is."

"I'm not afraid of you," she responded, and she meant that even as a slight shiver coursed through her. She wasn't sure if it was fear or excitement.

"Maybe you should be." He turned and disappeared, enveloped by the shadows as if he was absorbed into them.

Glass shattered somewhere not far away and a couple began loudly rowing. The noise shook Rose out of her study of his mysterious disappearing act and she turned to help Mickey up. He stumbled into her mumbling about a monster and a demon. Rose wasn't sure if he was talking about the Krillitane or the Doctor. She shook off that sense that something important had happened in this alley.

"Come on Micks, let's get you home. You just need to sleep this off."

He mumbled into her shoulder about protecting her. Rose rolled her eyes. "If anyone's doin' the protectin', it's me. Now, come on and don't even think of gettin' sick on me." She tugged him away, turning to look back at the alley once more before heading off into the cool misty night.

After she left, the Doctor emerged from the shadows. Rose had been right. Something significant had happened in this alley. She was becoming more important and the Doctor was not the only one who'd noticed. He was going to have to stay close to her. A part of him taunted him at this thought, that he only wanted to be close to her because he was drawn to her, to her time, to her compassion and intelligence and maybe something more. A gruff, bitter part of him fought that idea. He was only interested in her to figure her out and assure she wasn't a danger to this world. That's all. It couldn't be more than that. He didn't deserve anything more. At least, that's what he kept telling himself.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this took so long! I am determined to catch up on my WIPs! Hopefully, I'll get this on a schedule soon. Thanks for being patient!

It was a typically rainy day as Rose made her way down the dirty wet street to her favorite chippy. It had been two days since she'd seen the Doctor in the alley and watched him defeat the creature that had attacked her and Mickey. Of course, Mickey remembered none of it and was too busy moaning and suffering from a hangover the next day. Rose gave him no sympathy and told him he was on his own the next time he got pissed at the pub. She loved Mickey but she was beginning to realize she wasn't in love with him. They were more friends with benefits than anything and that was no longer enough for her.

Since meeting the mysterious Doctor, she realized there was much more to life than a night at the pub, chips and work. She wanted to know more, needed to know, really. When she reached the chippy, she pulled down her pink hoody off her head, her blond hair damp from the dreary London drizzle and stared at the smeared and foggy glass door. Some small voice inside her whispered that walking through that door was going to change everything. She bit her lip as she considered what meeting the Doctor for chips would mean.

He was dangerous. She was sure of that but there was something else about him that drew her. Maybe she was drawn to the danger or the excitement? Then again, he was a bit foxy with that slim fitting suit and that gorgeous tousled brown hair. No, she thought, it was more than that. There was some essence or aura about him, some secret or inner pain that made her want to find out who he was and what he'd done to have such darkness oozing out of him. When she looked deep into his eyes, and how they sometimes blackened into dark pits into his soul, she felt like she had to grab his hand and pull him back out of that abyss. She needed to know more about him and the odd world he existed in.

Something inside of her clicked. A choice had been made and there was no turning back to the life she knew. There was more out there and she was going find out what it was about. As she pushed the door open, warm chip scented air enveloped her. She inhaled enjoying the familiar scent and walked toward the counter pausing when she felt someone looking at her. Off to the side, in the booth where she first had chips with him, was the Doctor staring intently at her. He had a basket of chips and two drinks on the table. Rose played with the zip on her jacket before slowly wandering over to him and sliding into the torn vinyl seat opposite her mysterious Doctor.

"You're here," she said as she plucked a hot, fresh chip and popped in her mouth groaning at the delicious salty flavour.

"Said I would. Although, I'm surprised you are. No scratch that, of course I'm not surprised. You don't react like a typical human. A trouble magnet you are," he said as his gaze swept over Rose.

Rose rolled her eyes. "You're the one that was in trouble the first time we met." She picked up a bottle of vinegar and began dousing the chips.

"But you were there in the thick of it." He reminded her. "I didn't ask you for help. You saw trouble and appeared. Most humans wouldn't. The pathetic ones in this city just live in misery day after day, enjoying their beans on toast without a thought of what might be out there in the dark."

Rose sipped her soda and leaned onto the table, and leveled a piercing gaze at him. "You said you were an alien."

He quirked a smile, popped a chip in his mouth and stared back at her, his eyes dark and probing. "And I told you sort of. You said it didn't matter. Change your mind?"

"No," she answered quickly. "So why are you here? Why was that thing after me?"

He moved faster than she could see and grabbed her wrist, yanking her forward across the table. "Because you are different."

"Stop it!" she ordered, not willing to put up with his threatening behaviour and not backing down as they both leaned across the table, their heads inches from one another.

"No," he answered, continuing to hold her wrist tightly in his grasp, his other hand planted on the worn and sticky table between them. "You came here looking for answers even when I told you that you should run." There was a shadowy look on his face, a consuming darkness that leached the heat from the room around them. He wanted to scare her she realized.

She wouldn't allow him the upper hand. She grabbed the hand he had on the table and stared rebelliously into his eyes. "You still don't scare me," she said and something about her shifted. Maybe it was how she slightly squinted her eyes as if digging down into him, burrowing through layer upon layer of hardened, jaded and bitter exterior. It had been over a thousand years since anyone dare try to touch him this way. The fact that it was a slip of a human girl who was staring down into his murky depths was even more of surprise.

"You think you can know me, see who I am?" He snorted. "Your little mind couldn't take it."

She smiled a wolfish grin. "Still not scared and tired of hearin' you goin' on 'bout how powerful and all knowin' you are compared to us humans. Funny too, considering how you're hanging around us so much."

She leaned in closer and if he didn't' know better he'd swear her eyes glimmered with something familiar.

"Then, there's us. We keep running into each other and I think you like that. Maybe it's not an accident. You want me to question you 'cos you wanna talk to someone, tell them how impressive you are. You need it." She finished with a bit of innuendo.

He leaned in until his forehead barely grazed hers. He stared into her whisky coloured eyes, giving her a taste of the oncoming storm he could unleash and she didn't flinch. He opened up some of his senses to delve into her. He felt something in her just beneath the surface, warning him off. He loved a good challenge and she was definitely challenging him.

"I don't need anything and certainly nothing from a primitive creature like you." Of course, that was a lie not that he would admit to it.

Then he allowed his forehead to rest against hers. He gasped as he felt energy dance across his skin. Something in her called out to him. He wanted more and tried pressing into her only to be thrust back violently. He gripped his head as he sank back down into the aged vinyl seat. When he looked across the table, he found her slumped down. She was breathing but her brow was furrowed.

"Bugger!" he muttered. He reached over to touch her only to be shocked and pulled his hand back, sucking on his fingers. "What are you and how did you get here?" he muttered. She wasn't just a mystery. This girl was a slap in his face, something out of place taunting him. He scrubbed his hands through his hair and pulled out a slim pen-like device and waved it over her and looked at it. She was human but she wasn't. It was like something or someone took a human girl and made her capable of more. She radiated with temporal energy but there was sentience as well. That was proved when he probed her and she or whatever was in her thumped in hard. He could still feel the telepathic whiplash.

She lifted her head off the table and blearily looked at him while rubbing her temples. "What did you do to me?" she demanded in a slurred tone.

He stood up, walked over and scooped her up into his arms. The door blew open and the wind gusted through the chippy sending paper napkins swirling about the interior and tossing Rose's hair around as the Doctor strode out into the street, holding her in his arms.

"Whadda you think you're doin?" she demanded more awake now. She tugged at the floral print tie around his neck. "Hey!"

He looked down at her, his gaze black and consuming and Rose felt herself fall into him. Her breath caught as a whirlwind surrounded them and she tucked herself closer into his chest. There was a crackling feeling like electricity prickling her skin and then silence. She felt him take a few steps and drop her on a cushioned lounge chair. As sat up, she felt a cold chill in the air and wrapped her arms around herself. She was in a posh loft space with wall to wall sheet glass windows with no curtains or blinds on one side of the space. The cavernous room was dotted with a mixture of contemporary and antique furniture with big heavy dark wood tables, stone sculptures, ornate throne like chairs mixed with comfortable looking leather sofas and a mix of Persian rugs tossed casually across the dark wood floor. There was a modern looking fireplace on one brick interior wall and other walls were adorned with paintings depicting mythological scenes. He aimed his metal pen like device at it the fireplace and flames burst forth.

When he turned to her, he directed a piercing gaze at her as if she was a specimen he was trying to identify.

Rose shifted and ran her hand across the dark blue velvet cushion of the chaise lounge.

"A bit posh for you innit?" she asked and shivered. He sighed and tossed his long brown coat at her. She wrapped it around herself inhaling the scent it carried, something spicy, masculine and comforting. When she looked up he stood before her in a dark brown pinstripe suit, arms crossed and again staring at her.

"Would you stop that!" She stood up and felt dizzy. He steadied her and gently shoved her down.

"You did something to me!" she accused as she sat back up on the lounge chair and wrapped the coat around her again. She took another quick look around the room feeling its coldness, as if it were some museum with items placed in a precise manner meant for preserving them instead of for enjoyment. Outside the windows, the ever present clouds darkened and lightning flashed in them.

"I did nothing," he finally answered even though it was he who invaded her mind. "You did this, attacked me, reacted without thinking and used whatever is inside you against me." He snorted. "Then like any typical human caught up in something she doesn't understand, your mind shut down."

She stood up again, this time steadier. "I did not!"

He quirked a smile at her and how spunky she was but then he remembered that she was also hiding something and scowled. It was getting difficult, though, to maintain his cold disdain around his intriguing blonde mystery.

"Yes. You. Did," he said succinctly and took a step closer to her, trying to be intimidating.

She just bristled. "Told you, that don't work with me. You whammied me didn't ya?"

His brow furrowed. "What? I what you?" he asked, confused. Generally he judged humans quickly but this one, this Rose, was an enigma. She didn't run from him, wasn't eve afraid and kept prodding at him and questioning him, _him_!

"Whammied me! You know did your alien thing," she continued, waving her hand in the air for emphasis. "Is that what you do to us? You put the alien whammy on us to make us run from you?" she asked, sticking her chin up rebelliously and staring him in the eyes. She wasn't going to let him off easy.

"I did not!" he shouted. "And what the hell is a whammy anyway?"

She looked at him irate and huffing and confused and started to laugh. Rose couldn't help herself. Here was this pompous overbearing all powerful dark alien trying to be all intimidating and accusing her of nonsense and he was utterly perplexed by the word _whammy_.

It aggravated him that she was laughing and yet there was a small part of him that reacted to her giggles. She was so human and yet there was a subtle hum, a resonance or energy to her laughter. A human ear wouldn't discern it but he did. It was something he hadn't heard in a long time just like the temporal energy that wrapped around and through her. Someone or thing had integrated or merged a power into her she couldn't possibly understand. It was growing within her and he believed it had been for some time. What would she become when it blossomed? How ironic, Rose would blossom into something more and he would be here to witness it. He couldn't let her go now and especially not until he studied her. Would she be dangerous? Was she a weapon? How would it change this puny little human? Would she still be Rose?

The last question shocked him and especially his reaction to it. He hadn't known her for long but a part of him shouted _No_ , as if he couldn't allow her to not be Rose. There was something important about her being the same spunky, compassionate and stubborn human. It puzzled him why he felt this way or felt anything at all, but he did.

"If anyone whammied anyone it was you whammying me!" he retorted defensively and worried that was not just him being disagreeable but also revealing some truth. She had done something to him and he was not sure if it was a bad thing.

"Oh, that's rich! I met you for chips and answers and end up zapped and then you did your alien thing and brought me here. By the way, where is here exactly?"

He shoved his hands in his pockets and began pacing. He paused and stared at her again. "You're in danger out there." He took a few steps closer to her. "There are creatures who would devour you for what lay within you. You should be thanking me and showing a bit more appreciation."

Rose stared at him for a moment, memories of the creature in the alley fresh in her mind. She looked off out of a window and walked over to peer outside and think about what he said. They were several stories up on one of the skyscrapers. She could barely see the London skyline through the every present thick blanket of clouds covering the city. Every once in a while she'd see a flash of lightning. He was right and she knew it even if she didn't like it. Rose knew he wasn't always honest with her and that he had secrets. But, somehow she knew he was telling the truth this time. Still, she didn't trust him completely and wasn't entirely sure she wasn't in some type of danger from him. Each flash in the clouds mixed with the chill in the air brought forth a new thought and concern.

What about her mother? Was she putting her in danger? Mickey could have been killed just because something was after her. What was this thing in her? At that thought, something flashed in her mind, a picture of silver leafed trees, fields of vermillion grass and a sky glowing with a warm orange glow. It was alien and yet felt safe. These were followed by visions of fire and destruction and terrible things.

She blinked and held her head. When she looked up, she saw his reflection in the glass as he stepped up behind her and laid his hands on her shoulders. His face was intense and his eyes bored into her.

She wondered what he hoped to gain from her? Could she really trust him? What had made him so bitter and angry?

"You had visions," he said and leaned in next to her ear, nuzzling her hair and inhaling. "I can smell the hormonal fluctuation, the scent of fear mixed with awe and that tiny tang of time. I could see it on your face, catch a glimpse of it in your eyes, the way your pupils dilated for just a moment."

His hand slid down her shoulders and wrapped around her waist. He tugged her against him and brushed his lips against the shell of her ear. "What did you see?" he growled.

For a moment, Rose felt enraptured by his touch as he wrapped his presence around her like a warm dark cloak. It was like she was connecting to him on another level, fitting herself into him like a puzzle piece. Then, it occurred to her. The alien git was manipulating her, trying a new approach to get inside of her. She pulled away and turned on him annoyed, her eyes flashing a bit of gold at him.

"Oi, I'm not that easy!" she reminded him and gave him a quick shove to the chest. Not that he moved much. He was taller than her and quite solid.

He stared at her in shock and then that slight smile started to quirk before it was overtaken by his perpetual annoyed look. "You shouldn't be able to do that!" he snapped. "I try and comfort you and you turn all avenging female on me!"

"Comfort me?" she snapped, shooting him a _you are so in trouble_ look which she had learned from her mother. "Where I come from that's called pulling someone with all the touching and practically nibbling on my neck."

"What! I did not nibble or anything nibble like!" he defended with a look of outrage and sniffed. "As if I ever would with a human! Not that I need to debase myself in some primitive mating ritual. I'll have you know I'm above that behaviour."

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "I know when I'm bein' pulled and you were so all over me trying to get me to tell you what I saw."

"A-ha!" he shouted triumphantly and pointed at her. "So you did see something! What was it?" he demanded moving into her personal space, shoving her against the cold glass window.

She shoved him back and ducked under his arm where he had slammed his hand on the window in an attempt to trap and confine her. She quickly walked to the fireplace and warmed her hands.

"Ya know you don't have to always be such a demanding git! Maybe if you asked nicely, I woulda told ya. It's not like I have anyone else to talk to 'bout it. It's like you said, there's weird things out there that might want to snack on me."

He whipped around prepared to unleash his wrath at her evasiveness and refusal to disclose what she saw. He clenched his jaw as the frustration and anger within him brewed but then he saw her in the glow of the firelight, something clicked in him. She was bathed in orange light. It reflected in her hair and in the golden brown of her eyes and he saw something of his past before him, a happier time. There was something of his home in her. This wasn't some random bit of time swirling about her, someone had done this and that someone was one of his people. He was as sure of that as he was of the tumultuous emotions within her.

His anger ebbed and he strode over next to her. He looked at her wrapped in his coat, picking at her chipped nails and as he calmed his mind and stopped trying to force his way into hers, he felt time snap and crackle around him. Something had changed again. It was her. He found himself lacing his fingers with hers and she turned and looked at him. He let out his breath. "All right," he said in a softer voice. "Let's start from the beginning."


	4. Chapter 4

Rose lay curled up in the Doctor's coat asleep on a leather sofa near the fire. Eventually, she had revealed what her visions were. It was his home and its destruction. His mind raced as he pondered how she could see a place she could not possible have been to or events that were beyond human comprehension. No humans had ever been allowed there. It was a place reserved for his kind, the masters of the universe, an ancient race that barely acknowledged lesser species. Mortal creatures like humans were barely aware of them and when his kind did deign to present themselves on this primitive world, they were revered as gods. Rose couldn't possibly know these things and yet she'd seen them.

The firelight made shadows dance across the room as he stilled near the windows. Darkness had completely enveloped the city and if the cloud cover had lifted; he knew he would see a night sky sparkling with diamond like stars and planets with one notable exception, his own world. He turned to look at her again, sleeping soundly except for an occasional furrowed brow. He could see his fate intertwined with hers much more clearly now. He could almost see her changing before him. There was a subtle pulse of energy just beneath the surface of her consciousness. The temptation to pry it out was so great. He slowly made his way over to her, standing over her sleeping form and paused. He inhaled and closed his eyes.

He could see Rose only she was different, smiling and racing across purple fields on another world. Her golden hair was tinted pink in the alien sunlight. He was with her, holding her hand as they raced through the grass, happy and laughing. She was looking at him with a tongue teasing smile and suddenly she stopped and all amusement left her face. Her eyes sparkled golden.

"Doctor," she said in an ethereal voice. "You've forgotten something."

"What? I haven't forgotten anything!" He paused and gazed deeply into her eyes. "What are you doing in this girl? What do you want?" he demanded as the landscape metamorphosed around them to something darker, the land burnt, rocky and pockmarked as if a war had been fought on that very spot.

She cocked her head to the side. "You promised you would remember. You made the covenant, promised you would keep your word. The debt must be paid."

"Debt, what debt? Haven't I already paid enough! Look at me!" he shouted. "I'm alone, the last of my kind with only this girl and whatever you, whoever you are, have done with her to occupy my time. Now tell me who are you?"

She looked at him and golden tears pooled in her eyes. "I'm so sorry," she said now in Rose's voice. "But, you have to remember." She walked up and cupped his face with her hand. "It's not just about you or me but time itself. Someone has to care or everything dies. Time is wounded and it needs a Doctor." She smiled at him and leaned up on her tip toes to lay a gentle kiss on his lips. He gasped and stumbled backwards, his eyes shooting open. He stared at Rose's sleeping form and his fingers touched his still tingling lips.

This was definitely about something bigger than a human girl. What was she turning into and why was she so important to him? What debt, and what had he forgotten? It was impossible for him to forget anything. He was practically immortal and his species was known for their mental capabilities, impressive memories, strong telepathic skills, ability to wield time and complete complex calculations or perform multiple tasks simultaneously and well, were brilliant at everything. He was shaken out of this musings by a loud annoying and tinny rendition of _Baby Got Back_ and it was coming from Rose.

He watched as she blinked her eyes sleepily and pulled a mobile out of her pocket, squinted at it and answered.

"Mum?" Rose asked and ran a hand through her hair as she talked to her mother. She looked up at the Doctor who was standing a few feet away glowering at her, his previous calm mood evaporated.

"Sorry, Mum. I fell asleep at a friend's. No, it's no one you know. I promise I'm fine and no I don't need to use any code words and yes it's safe. Promise. No. Mum, I'm nineteen and I can take care…"

Rose sighed and held the phone away from her ear as her mother screeched about old boyfriends and bad decisions. When her mum was finished she brought the phone back to her face. "Yes, Mum. I promise I'm not doin' anything stupid. I'll be home tomorrow. Yes, I know I have work. Look it's late. Get to sleep and I'm sorry I didn't call. I'll call you tomorrow. Bye."

She looked back at the Doctor and rubbed her eyes. "Right, so what happened?"

"What do you mean what happened? You fell asleep like a typical human. Rubbish you lot are, sleeping your lives away. It's pathetic," he snapped and looked across the room shoving his hands in his pockets.

Rose sat up and tugged the coat around her. "Bollux," she cursed. "Now tell me what's gotten into you and don't give me some rubbish about me fallin' asleep 'cos it's more than that."

He snorted and turned back to her. He walked over and stood a few feet from her and stared. "It's you. Each second of each minute you become less human and more…something else."

Rose didn't know what to say to that and looked down at her lap. She began playing with a fold in his coat. "Am I…I mean am I gonna die from this?"

He rolled his eyes. "Of course you're not gonna die," he said sharply and paced back and forth a few steps. "I mean you'll be something else so I suppose to a human mind it might seem like part of you is dying but really it's just changing like a….caterpillar into a butterfly. You do understand that analogy, right?"

She glared at him. "Of course I know what a butterfly is! Just 'cos we live under that muck in the sky and don't have 'em in London doesn't mean I don't know what they are," she retorted. "So, does that mean I'm gonna look different?" she asked nervously with a hint of fear in her eyes.

He paused and stared at her his dark eyes searching for something. "No. I don't think so. I think…I think you'll still be you only a bit different on the inside."

"Because of this energy stuff in me. Do you know why or how this happened yet?"

A bitter laugh erupted from him. "Oh, I know where it comes from. Just don't know why or why you." He turned toward her. "My people did this to you….somehow. It had to be! No one else could. But why? Why you?" he raged. "And what the hell is it I allegedly forgot?" He paced, shooting her glares. "I don't forget anything! Ever!"

As she watched him pace, mutter and curse, she absorbed what he said. He said it was his people. She shivered as she thought of her vision. It was a beautiful world with orange skies casting the light of its twin suns on the silver leaved trees almost lighting them on fire. She could almost smell the scent of something like spicy jasmine mixed with pungent incense. She closed her eyes and she could almost see a temple like something out of Roman mythology with great columns and polished marble floors that glowed warmly in firelight or was it just the suns? People were wearing flowing ornate robes, both men and women. They spoke a musical language in hushed tones but if she concentrated she could catch a few words and phrases."

"It's coming…we will all end, burn…time is ripping apart."

Then it was indecipherable. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to focus in more, hear more. There were a group of women huddled together in red and gold robes.

"They've unleashed the Horde of Travesties. They are mad with power and the need to dominate all life even if it means extinguishing it and starting over. This is what we have come to…the end."

Another woman, this one older, her grey hair barely visible under a white hood approached. "No, there is another way." She stepped closer to the group who bowed their heads to her. "Sacrifice must be made. It is the way of the universe. Some die so others live. Suffering is part of evolving. Too long have we held ourselves separate and apart, always watching as if we were never a part of the life that ebbed and flowed around his. We must fall to survive."

"How do you know?" one robed figure demanded, her voice evidence of her fear. "For hundreds of millennia have we existed, been guardians of time and are so integrated in time itself, our death could unravel all of creation! How can we end? How can we let go of all that we are and what of time itself?"

The cloaked woman laid a pale hand on the speaker's arm. "You must have faith. This was written long ago, when we were but infants and the universe was new. There are those who hid this prophecy and everything about our infancy wanting only to write what they wanted us to know but they couldn't erase everything. Some kept the old ways, our history safe. This day has been coming since time bore us to this world. We will end and begin and it will be…."

Before she could hear the rest, she felt the Doctor shaking her shoulders.

"Rose! Wake up! Stop!"

When she looked up at him, he looked angry and frightened. "What did you think you were doing?" he shouted.

She blinked confused and then angry at him. "What did ya do that for! I was gettin' to the good part!" she shouted back at him.

"The good part! You bloody well nearly destroyed the building!" he shot back at her.

That was when Rose realized there was a cold wind blowing around the space. Shattered glass was everywhere and furniture was overturned. She looked at him frightened. "I…I did this?"

He yanked her into his arms and held her tight. "You stupid little ape," he said in a shaky voice. He was still reeling from what she had done. One minute he was raging about his people interfering and mucking about with him in some twisted way, making him some sort of pawn in some unknown and possibly universal ending plan and the next she was whispering in his language and bursting with energy. It crackled all over the room causing vibrations, exploding light fixtures and eventually blew out the windows. He barely got to her in time before she collapsed the whole building. She was funnelling time through herself with no control and it was destructive and dangerous. She could have caused a temporal implosion and sucked them all into the hell of an unstable temporal rift or ripped them apart atom by atom unmaking them.

And, she was magnificent. He couldn't ignore how pure time, inside this girl, had a seductive allure to him. It was like being on his home world before the untempered schism, a crack in space and time which had allowed one to gaze at the majesty of time. Rose was a siren of time, her song curling around him and reminding him how much he missed it. The taste of her, of home was too much for him to let go. They were meant to be and he was now her protector. There was no way he could let her go. She, who had saved him, whose mind was open and was keen to learn and who had not exhibited one hint of the normal fear or petty human emotions he despised, was inextricably tied to him somehow. He held her as she shook and knew he couldn't let this incident go. It was going to attract attention and she had to learn how to control what was bursting forth inside of her.

He pulled back and looked at her hard. "You are never to do whatever it was you did again without discussing it with me," he ordered, his fingers clamped on her arms hard.

Part of her felt angry at him for ordering her about but another part of her took in her surroundings and was afraid. As much as she might need him though, a rebellious part of her couldn't completely submit to him. "How do I know it wasn't you who did this?" she shot back in a shaky but determine voice. "None of this stuff happened til I met you!"

He shoved her back until she fell onto the sofa. "Don't be stupid! What ever reason would I have to destroy my own abode? And why would I spend any time and effort on some foolish human girl? I could be anywhere with anyone I wanted! I did not choose this!" he shouted.

She wrapped her arms around herself and looked down, her hair a curtain hiding her face. He sighed, cursed, whisked the broke glass of the sofa and plopped down next to her.

"We shouldn't be fighting."

She looked over at him through her hair blowing in the cold breeze. "Yeah, probably not."

"The only way we can figure this out is to work together, you and me," he continued.

She laughed hard and with no amusement. "That's a bit rich. You, Mr. lonely dark god and me just an estate girl with some weird alien stuff inside me. We can barely be next to each other without arguin' or somethin' tryin' to kill us."

He leaned over and bumped his shoulder against hers, a slight smile on his face. "Exciting isn't it. The most excitement I've had in a century, I reckon."

"You really are an alien," she said, shaking her head.

He shrugged his shoulders. "To me, you're the alien."

"What about my mum? Is she in danger?" Rose asked nervously.

"Probably, if you stick around her much. If you want her safe…" He paused. "Might be best to stay away for a while. At least until we figure this out."

She looked down at the floor. "She won't like that. I mean, she's my mum and…well, she got me out of a bit of mess with a boy a few years back. She'll worry."

"Better worried than dead," he answered gruffly.

She nodded her head. "Okay, but I have to talk to her first and get some stuff."

He sighed heavily again and muttered about _humans_ and _domestic._

They caught the bus and walked back to her mum's flat early that morning. The dark, thickly fogged and damp streets were mostly empty due to the early hour. He waited for her, leaning against the graffitied wall of her mum's building. She shot him a dark look before running up the stairs. Neither of them had talked much on the way there but he had stayed close at her side, never letting her more than a few inches from him. She still had his coat on as well. His only comment to her during their walk was warning her not to get the coat wet in the puddles since it was several sizes too big for her. She had grumbled at him but hitched it up to make sure it wasn't dragging on the street. The funny thing about their trip to her mum's flat was even though he was obviously in another of his foul moods, she didn't feel like it was directed at her. In fact, there was a sort of weird peace or understanding between them.

Of course, that didn't mean she wasn't beside herself worrying about her mum and how whatever this thing was that was happening to her would effect her mum. The whole way to the flat she kept fingering her phone, wondering if she should call home to see make sure everything was all right. Then, an inner voice inside of wondered what would she say after waking her mum up? _Hey Mum, it's me, seen any aliens lately? Any one trying to eat you by chance?_ That's when she decided she was losing it just a bit. No, she had to come up with an excuse, a good one too. Jackie Tyler was many things but she could always tell when Rose was out and out lying.

As she pounded up the stairs to the flat, Rose went over the story which was as close to the truth as she could make it. When she walked into the flat, it was quiet. After she shut the door her mum walked out of her room wrapped in a dressing gown, clearly just awakened and with a glare that would stop most people in their tracks.

"Do you know what time it is?" she demanded. "First you don't come home and then you give me some story 'bout spendin' the night with friends! I know you never met Mickey and Trisha at the pub so where were you and who was you with?"

Rose cursed internally blaming Mickey for this. He couldn't keep his gob shut. "I met another friend, actually it was sort of a job interview. He's a doctor, a scientist workin' on a project and lookin' for an assistant to keep his house and books. You know, all the stuff those geeky types forget, paying the bills, buying the groceries, someone to bring him tea and what not. He's a bit useless."

"Who is he and where did you meet him? Are you sure he's not some creeper tryin' to take advantage of you? Oh my God! You spent the night with him!"

"Mum! He's not like that! If you want to know, I saved him from a mugger in the park! I told you, he's a bit useless with normal stuff." She thought to herself how that was not a lie. "He bought me chips and we talked. I feel asleep on his couch while he was sort of babbling on about his work," she said and fingered his coat.

"That his coat then?" Jackie asked, not sounding happy.

"Yeah, he let me borrow it. Look, I took the job and it's a live in. I got to pack up some stuff." She moved to walk by her mother who grabbed her by the arm.

"Oh, no you don't! You meet some pervert in the park and he hires you to move in with 'im? I don't think so. How long have you known 'im? One, two days? He could be a murderer!"

Rose rolled her eyes. "He's not, Mum. I told you. He's a doctor and real brilliant. I've been to his place already, it's posh."

This made Jackie Tyler even more upset. "What did I tell you about airs and graces when you took that shop job!" she lectured as she followed Rose into her room where Rose pulled clothes out and stuffed them in a duffle bag.

"That's not enough to get you by in life. You've got to be grounded Rose, livin' in the real world and in the real world girls like you off the estate don't go working with for some doctor. For all you know he's lookin' for more than a housekeeper if you know what I mean. Listen to me sweetheart, just stop and think. Don't make another mistake by jumpin' into something 'cos some fine lookin' bloke sweet talks you. You're too smart for this."

Rose paused and looked at her. "I didn't say he was good lookin."

Jackie crossed her arms and glared at Rose. "You didn't have to. I know you, Rose. There has to be some reason you're willing to take off with some stranger. It's dangerous. Please don't go."

Rose looked at her mother and felt horrible. What could she tell her? The truth was it was dangerous for her mum if she stayed. She walked over and hugged her mother. "Mum, I promise, I'm not doing this 'cos I fancy him. I'm going 'cos well, I think it's the best thing for me. He could help teach me stuff, maybe even help get my A levels. He's real smart."

"Fine, I wanna meet 'im," Jackie demanded with a hard look. "He wants to take you off somewhere, then he can come here and prove to me he's legit!"

Rose sighed. "Look, he's a bit anti-social and honestly, he's a bit of git personality wise. He's downstairs and…"

Before Rose could finish, the building shook like there was an Earthquake. She grabbed her mother until the shaking stopped. They raced to the window and looked out across the estate to see windows shattered and the street riddled with cracks. There was a rumbling sound and the front door exploded inward in a shatter of wooden splinters. Rose and Jackie had turned away shielding their faces and when they looked back, there was a tall, broad shouldered man dressed in worn black leather. The only problem was, this was no man. He had green and blue scales, with black and gold coloured eyes. He held out his arm which had metal cuff on it and pointed it at Rose. He growled something. Rose just knew this was bad and shoved her mum away from her with all her might.

She picked up a lamp and threw at the creature. There was no way she was just going to let it kill her or hurt her mum. Just as the Doctor burst in and tackled the creature, rose picked up an end table. She watched the two aliens struggle and raced over with the table and smashed it over the creature. With a grunt, it let the Doctor go, hopped up and turned on her. It spit something blue at her which barely missed her and landed with a splat against a wall.

"Don't touch it! It's poison!" the Doctor screamed and head butted the creature.

"Doctor!" Rose screamed. "Tell me what to do!"

The creature grabbed him and tossed him against a wall, causing it to crack under his weight.

"Salt!" he cried out as the creature aimed his wrist device at him. He fired just as the Doctor ducked and it blew a hole in the wall. Rose meanwhile ran into the kitchen followed by her terrified mother.

"Rose! What the hell is that thing and why's it here?" she screamed.

"Mum, where's the salt?" Rose shouted and grabbed her mother by the shoulders. "Mum!"

Cupboard to the left of the stove," she answered and peeked out to see the Doctor tossed across the flat, landing with a curse on the floor.

"We've got to call the police," she said and reached for her mobile but it was dead. Rose ran by her with a box of salt.

"Doctor!" she yelled at the Doctor who was being strangled by the creature.

"Thrgggghhhh," he gasped out.

Rose squinted at him and looked at the large box of salt.

The Doctor head butted the creature again. "Fuck! Throw it!" he groused as the creature once again began strangling him.

She opened the box and tossed salt on the alien. Nothing happened so she tried dousing it some more before it turned on her and hissed.

"Oh you are not spittin' more of that stuff at me!" she shouted and as it opened his mouth she ran at it tossing salt right into its poison spitting mouth. It stopped dead still whined and fell to the floor convulsing.

Rose stood by holding the mostly empty box of salt in her hand still held in the air. The Doctor straightened his suit walked over, grabbed the salt and poured more of it into the creatures mouth as he stood over it. The creature gurgled and then i's body collapsed in on itself, turning into goo and soaking the floor. The Doctor then walked to the blue glop on the wall an doused it in salt causing it to disintegrate in rivulets of liquid oozing down the wall.

Jackie Tyler walked in clutching her pink dressing gown and made a face. "I am not cleaning that up!" she announced.

The Doctor rolled his eyes and glared at Rose. "You see! This is only the beginning. Now, can we go?"

"Who the hell are you?" Jackie demanded. She looked at Rose and then back at him. "You're himself then, this doctor who's trying to get funny with my daughter."

"Mum, please. Yes, this is the Doctor and he just saved us."

Jackie looked down and then back at him. "Well he's made a mess! Look at my flat! I'm not payin' for this!"

The Doctor looked from Jackie to Rose and snorted. "Like mother like daughter." He turned back to Jackie. "Don't suppose you noticed anything odd about your attacker?"

Jackie put her hands on her hips. "He's a bloody pool of goo on my floor! Course, I noticed something's wrong with him. He's one of those druggy people the government's experimentin' on isn't he? Is that what you do? You recruitin' my Rose for your weird government experiments? Don't think I don't know about that stuff. I read News of the World! I know all about you lot and your secret labs and how you test things on the public. Well you're not experimenting on my daughter."

He snorted about rubbish humans and there little minds.

Before Rose could remind him to mind his manners, he was slapped, hard across the face by one Jackie Tyler.

"Mum! Stop! He's not what you think and he just saved our lives! Please, you have to listen to me. I'm…I'm in trouble and he's here to help me, okay."

"I knew it!" Jackie snipped unhappily at her daughter. "I can always tell when you're lyin!"

"I know and I'm sorry. I was tryin' to protect you. Mum, there's these…sort of gangs that are after me, yeah? I have to go into hiding and the Doctor's here to help. If I stay, I put you in danger."

"I'll come with you," Jackie said, now fearful for her daughter.

"Absolutely not!" the Doctor shouted, a scowling look on his face.

"Mum, you can't. I have to disappear for a while. I promise I'll get in touch as soon as I can. Please, you have to trust me. If I stay, more like this one will come."

Jackie looked down at the now disintegrating goo on her floor and back at Rose. "What have you got yourself into?"

"It's complicated. Look, I have to go. I promise, the Doctor will keep me safe. I trust him."

Jackie looked Rose in the eyes and could see the truth of her words. She didn't like it but she could see this time her daughter wasn't lying.

"Rose, we need to leave now!" the Doctor emphasized. Rose ran to get her duffel bag and Jackie turned to look at him.

"I don't know who the hell you are or what you've gotten my daughter into but you better keep her safe or so help me I will hunt your skinny arse down and make your life a livin' 'ell. We clear?"

He took a step back and rubbed his face thinking about scary Earth mothers and that she packed a wallop and maybe he should have set her after the alien hunter that lay disintegrating on her floor instead or risking his own neck. Rose raced back with her duffel bag. She hugged and kissed her mother promising she'd be in touch. The Doctor grabbed her hand and with one last look at the frightened Jackie Tyler who still managed to direct a glare at him, he raced with Rose out the smashed door. He didn't know what lay ahead for them but he was sure that as long as he and Rose were together, it would all work out…somehow.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okkaaaaay, I've been putting this warning everywhere just to be safe. This is a Dark Ten fic. Please note it may cover topics that may make you uncomfortable. Dark Ten or Dark Doctor is sort of a genre or trope that means: He's portrayed in a dark, twisted, sexually aggressive or morally questionable manner throughout part of the story and may contain topics that might bother some readers. These stories are about a fall from grace, a character evolving and redemption. If you see a story marked as Dark Ten or Dark Doctor, please proceed with caution or do not read.
> 
> Now this story has not delved into any sexually explicit bits yet but definitely has touched on violence and a bit of telepathic violation. I try to temper it but it's there. If you are worried about this, please feel free to message me with concerns before you read any further and I will give you the heads up on what to expect. Thanks for reading!

They were always running now. It seemed Rose barely shut her eyes when he was roughly yanking her up to do more of it. After they left her Mum's, they had tried to return to his loft space at the top of one of the tall London buildings but a block from it, he had roughly shoved her against a brick wall and plastered himself over her, her face shoved into the shoulder of his long brown coat.

"We need to leave," was all he said, his body tense as he grabbed her hand and pulled her down an alley, through places she never would have ventured on her own. They stayed in cold, dank basements, closed down shops and abandoned warehouses. She was lucky to have warm water to sponge bath herself or to be near anything that even resembled a loo. It was a time of dark, dirty and cold places with few hot meals and no communication with her Mum. All she had in the world was in her rucksack which she carried with her during the perpetual runs for her life. She never saw what they were running from.

Currently, they were breaking into old ornate building that had once been a conservatory. It had been vacant for years, all the plants now dead and withered away to dust due to the never ending grey clouds blanketing the city. They had been on the move for days now, Rose was exhausted and an old abandoned conservatory was as good as place as any to rest. As she slowly walked through the building and into the glass enclosed room, she couldn't help but worry about her Mum and how they were ever going to find a solution to the things that were after her. The Doctor had gone off to secure the building which was typical for him. He hadn't talked much since they'd been on the run, just grunting a bit, staring at her as if digging into her soul, instructing her about ducking, hiding, running or shoving food at her as he prowled around securing wherever they were at.

She dropped her ruck sack on the tiled floor near a statute of some Roman or Greek Goddess. Rose mused that at one time, the dirty and slightly damaged statute must have been a focal point in a garden with the goddess overseeing a lush domain. She sat down and leaned back against her bag and sighed, looking up through glass enclosure that would have made this more of a hot house keeping the temperature constant as sunlight streamed in nurturing the plants below. Now, all she saw were dark clouds and an ever present drizzle of rain, the rhythmic sound of it pattering against the glass, almost lulling her to sleep. That is, until her stomach growled reminding her it had been hours since she had last eaten.

The trainer clad feet of the Doctor squeaked on the tile floor as he dropped a brown bag down next to her. "Eat. Don't know when we'll have time next."

She opened the bag to find a sandwich, crisps and bottle of water. "Thanks," she mumbled as she unwrapped the sandwich. He stood watching her. "Do ya have to stare at me like that?" she asked with just a little bite to her voice.

He turned, the hem of his coat brushing against her leg as he walked up to the statute. "Hegemone," he said and snorted. "The Greek goddess of plants. Now there was a human mischaracterization. Allegedly, she made plant life bloom and bear fruit." He rolled his eyes and looked down at Rose eating her sandwich and watching him. "A bunch of rubbish if you ask me. You know, some humans said her name meant _mastery_. And if it did, they meant mastery of flim flam or she who enjoyed being doted on by lesser species so added a bit of fertilizer and manipulated time a bit to make some old pear tree burst out with a bit fruit." He wrinkled his nose. "Pears! Disgusting!" He paced and looked back at the statute. "She didn't even look like that! Had a bit of a beak nose and that voice! Would scare an Ice Warrior, that voice!" he said and shuddered. "Yet, you lot were so impressed. Built her temples and even named a lunar body after her! Some shite moon orbiting Jupiter! Humans!" he said with derision.

"So, you sayin' all the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses were your people?" Rose asked, now tucking into her crisps.

"Don't be daft, not all of them."

Rose's eyes lit up. "You're not Zeus are you?"

"What!" he said, outrage on his face he then stormed over to her. "That was not me! Not even a little! As if I would come down to some level five planet to seduce some primitive females or worse marry my sister! That's disgusting!"

Rose burst out into giggles. "Hera was his sister, wasn't she. No wonder he was off picking up girls. Left quite a few up the duff as I recall and wasn't much into being a dad. But, he was King of the Gods. That couldn't have been too bad."

The Doctor scowled, paced and then leaned up against a wall staring at her. "I don't…do that," he said with a bitter quality to his voice and then stared off across the huge room with vaulted glass ceilings. After a few minutes he sighed and spoke again.

"Some of my people…" he started to say and then swallowed hard before looking back at her. "Some of them, a few, ventured off our world to explore and experience all that lived in the universe. Earth, was a ripe world filled with imaginative primitives. Some would come here to amuse themselves to see what you lot would come up with next. Some versions of amusement were different than others." He shifted off the wall and walked toward her, an arrogant look on his face as he looked down at her. "We observed. Some maybe have influenced just a bit although that was frowned upon. Others engaged in sordid behaviour, indulging physical desires which was not acceptable on my world. My people looked down on such petty behaviour. They didn't approve of interfering or using our impressive abilities to effect lesser species. Those who did, were punished."

Rose arched a brow. "So you was one of the punished ones then?"

That took the wind out of his sails a bit. His face twisted up and he looked skyward before looking back at her. "Not for what you're thinking. I…may have assisted a bit but that's all!" He walked over and settled next to her, snatching a crisp.

"I wasn't like others and your history is filled with some of those that pushed the limits of good taste or abused their privileges as observers and scientists. Oh some were just in it for thumbing their noses at certain stodgy, stuck up, pain in the arse bureaucrats. Bacchus for instance!" he exclaimed and then smiled at her. "Bacchus got into all sorts of trouble! A bit obsessed with grapes and winemaking and oh those parties! Ohhh he was a bad boy! And don't even get me started on Aphrodite! She certainly enjoyed herself at your species' expense. I'm sure more than one war was started due to her whispering in someone's ear."

Rose leaned back and sipped her water. "Oh?"

He leaned into her. "The Trojan war, Paris, Helen of Troy, ring a bell?" he whispered as if it was some salacious bit of gossip.

Her eyes widened. "Oh my God, that was real?"

He preened a bit looking chuffed. "Wellll, maybe a bit. Of course, some of us may have stepped in to try and calm people down."

"You were at the fall of Troy?" Rose scooted over until she was thigh to thigh with him. "Was she really that beautiful?"

He rolled his eyes. "I tell you about the Trojan war and all you can ask is about Helen and was she pretty? Humans!"

"But it started 'cos of her. I mean was it worth it? All those people died for her and how two blokes, Paris and Menelaus, loved her."

He looked at Rose then, really looked at her. "You're asking about love. Is love worth pain and suffering?"

Rose blinked and looked just as deeply into him. "Love is worth a bit of suffering, but sacrificing so many for one couple to be happy…I'd have to think about that. Were they and their love more important than hundreds of thousands of people?"

She made him pause. Those words uttered with such innocence and yet held such weight. This was not a casual question, not just some thoughtless musing. It resonated deeply inside of her. It was a piece of the puzzle that was Rose Tyler beginning to fall into place.

"Rose," he said softly. He didn't understand what it was about her that could cut to his core. Maybe it was the way she dove right to the heart of things, asking about love and sacrifice. Maybe it reminded him too much of his own pain, of what he'd sacrificed and then having her sitting next to him, so tempting…

She looked up at him and found something she'd never seen on his face before, a softness, perhaps even a longing. She felt a warmth fill her as she gazed him. They'd been running so much and so hard, never looking back or forward really. Now here they were talking about love and sacrifice and he looked more vulnerable than she'd ever seen him. It frightened her a bit. She was already so drawn to him. It would be so easy to let things become more, especially now when it was just them on the run. She looked down.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to push. I know your past is hard to talk about."

He paused for a moment and leaned back away from her. He wasn't sure what he had been about to do, open up to her? For what reason? He wasn't even sure what she was or her purpose. He knew she was something from his people and maybe that was it. Perhaps because he had been alone so long, just having this tentative connection to what he'd lost was seductive enough to break through the armour he had built around himself.

He stood up. "You should get some rest while you can," he said, trying not show how much being around her constantly was effecting him.

"What's after us?" she asked.

He barked out a hard laugh. "What isn't." he looked down at her. "Creature of time, all juicy and full of power. What wouldn't want to get their hands on you. London, Earth, the Solar System became a whole lot more interesting when you started oozing power and each day, that power flashes stronger, more tempting."

She looked down and picked at her nails. "We've been running so much that we haven't talked. You said I was becoming something but not what or when I'd be…done cooking. My last vision, I saw people, like people not of Earth talking. They were sort of dressed in robes and they were scared, talking about somethin' coming and time was ripping apart."

He fell to his knees in front of her and leaned into her personal space. "I want you to be very, very careful. The last time you had a vision, thought about this, you nearly destroyed a building and caught the attention of…let's just say power hungry beings."

Rose nodded. "But Doctor, we have to talk about it. We can't run forever and sooner or later, something will find us. If we can figure it out, maybe…"

He leaned back and scrubbed his face and sighed. "All right, go on."

Rose thought back on her vision but didn't let herself get pulled into it this time. "They mentioned something about travesties and people mad with power wanting to take over even if it meant killin' everyone. They were a bit negative and kept sayin' it was the end."

"It was the end," he said softly, his face reflecting a great pain. Rose reached over and grasped his hands. He looked down at her pale fingers laced with his. "Go on," he urged.

She nodded. "There was this older woman there. She was different, wasn't scared like the others. She said a sacrifice had to be made, that some die so others live. She talked about how they, um their people had kept themselves away, watched and that was wrong."

"What else?" he asked, swallowing hard and barely looking at her.

"She said they had to fall to survive and all the others questioned her. They were scared and talked about how they couldn't let go of all that they were and worried about time but the woman, she told them they had to have faith that it was like a secret prophecy or something."

Rose stopped and he looked at her. "Well?" he prompted.

She shrugged. "Don't know. Told you that you stopped me before I got to the good part."

He groaned and began tugging at his hair in frustration and then looked at her hard again.

"Sorry, that's all I got. Now what about you? Tell me what you know about what's happenin' to me."

"I told you, my people did something to you, planted something powerful but I don't know exactly how, what or why or how long it will take to come to fruition."

"Is there a way for you to figure it out," she asked, looking up at him.

He gazed up through the glass to only find darkness and water falling, rivulets of it cascading off the sides of the domed glass. He looked back at her, a dark frustrated expression on his face. "I don't know. Last time I tried looking into you, you gave me the equivalent of a telepathic smack. Then, there was metaphysical mysterious you giving me a good talking to about some debt and promises I've forgotten. It all sounded a bit dodgy to me."

Rose arched a brow at him. "And when did this happen?"

"Oh, you know, when you were asleep in front of the fire," he said, waving his hand in the air as if trying to lessen the fact he had not talked to her about it.

"And when were you gonna tell me?" she demanded, crossing her arms, looking very perturbed.

"Oi! We've been a bit busy running for our lives if you missed it!"

"No I haven't. Haven't missed how you don't want to talk about stuff either and I've had about all I can take of it. Now, tell me this, what if you did your mind thing again only this time I know and agree to it instead of you going all invading, arrogant git."

He stared darkly at her and scooted over until he sat next her. "It might work, then again, you could bring down the building around us, maybe even the whole city at the rate you're going."

Rose looked nervous and crumpled the brown bag with the remnants of her dinner. "There's got to be something we can do. Doctor, I don't want to hurt anyone," she said with a shaky voice.

He let out his breath and slid his wet trainers over the tiles. "All right. We'll give it go but it stops if I think there's danger."

Rose nodded. "Just tell me what I need to do."

He moved over to her and positioned her kneeling in front of him. "Relax. Do exactly as I say," he instructed her in a soft but firm voice.

She nodded feeling nervous and rubbing her palms on her jeans. She breathed deep, exhaled and closed her eyes trying to relax. She felt his cool hands resting on her arms, stilling her hands. "Clear your mind of what's worrying your. Turbulent emotions can be a barrier, especially in humans. Doesn't get more emotional than you lot. Makes for a messy mind."

She opened her eyes to shoot him an annoyed look. His formerly dark expression softened into a smirk. He then tapped her temple. "Focus. You need to let go of all this around us, find your safe place where everything is at peace."

Rose closed her eyes and sighed. She tried to release the tension in her body, to remember what life was like before all these things happened. She thought back to when she was most happy and content. Oddly, it had nothing to do with her Mum or Mickey or any of her friends. It was a moment, one perfect peaceful moment when she'd been in Henrik's at her job. It was Christmas and there were holiday decorations up everywhere. She'd been working in the holiday department and was gazing at the sparkling and multi coloured decorations and she'd seen something. It was something that caught her attention, drew her to it almost magically. It was one of the specially themed Christmas trees. Henriks had sponsored several charities which came in and decorated trees which were to be auctioned off and donations made to each charity.

There were trees decorated with fairies, some were football themed and others traditional or even Victorian but there was one that was more unique than all the others. It was dotted with sprigs of silver leaves, white plumed feathers, scarlet tassels, gold coins with scenes of ancient Rome, tiny white fairy lights wound around the branches and white iridescent ribbons encircling it like paths into the hidden depths of the mythology clearly depicted by the tree. It was an odd choice but Rose had been riveted, gently running her fingers over the tassels, and finding scrolls of paper tucked away in the tree with the names of various myths written on them. It was so different. Other sales clerks thought it unfitting for Christmas and went on about how it wouldn't fetch barely any price compared to the other more fantastic or traditional trees.

Rose didn't care. She enjoyed just exploring the tree, the glitter of the leaves, and how the lights made the ribbon shimmer in a rainbow of colours. She felt safe, warm and at peace as if this tree was special and there just for her. Remembering this time and focusing on what it made her feel soon eased the tension from her. The Doctor watched as the stress eased from her shoulders and she reached a state few humans ever experience. It was yet another sign to him that Rose may be human but she was also something else.

He eased his fingers to her temple and closed his own eyes. This would require a softer more elegant touch. Rose wasn't the only one who had to calm her raging mind. He needed to tame the nightmares and shadowy demons that tormented him on a daily basis. Rose had quite easily found her peace. Finding that place for the Doctor would be not so simple. At least, that's what he thought. He employed techniques that were taught to his people at a young age. It was basic and should take little thought on his part. But, he was him, broken and suffering for centuries and letting go of that pain would never be easy until a flickering thought of Rose entered his mind.

He exhaled sharply at how that one simple thought changed everything. It made no sense. Why? His mind whirled with questions, analysing why and what give her so much power. Darker parts of him roared and rebelled at some silly human girl, even a hybrid being given that much sway in his mind. But, a softer more insistent voice whispered because he needed her, because she filled an empty spot and perhaps, just maybe, she was good for him.

It was like a howling wind ripped through his mind and there was an internal battle against this idea. He didn't deserve anything good or peace. He was a killer, a murderer, a thief, the most vile of vile in all the universe. And yet, he had found her and she…she had sought him out, didn't run even when he showed her how vile he really was. Her golden brown eyes burned through his mind and the raging and snarling darkness scuttled away to a corner. He was gasping now, unable to fully comprehend what was happening to him.

Then, it hit him. Rose was not the only one changing. He opened his eyes stunned only to see her still sitting before him at peace, his hands touched to her temples. His eyes were wet and he was shaking ever so slightly. He didn't want to go through with this. Running sounded better, easier, less painful but she wanted this. She needed to know what she was and would be. As much of a coward he was, she was brave and he admired that even if he thought on occasion it was foolish. He took a deep breath and set aside his fear and thought of Rose, of her warmth, smile and her eyes and plunged forward into her mind.

It was different this time. There was no snarling golden entity trying to rip him apart. It wasn't the landscape of metaphysical Rose either. He was in a very organized human department store. His brow furrowed at this. He hadn't been in many human minds, but most were chaotic, almost like a heavy metal rock concert with screeching music, wall to wall people and flashing lights. They were most certainly not empty, neat and tidy department stores with racks of colour coordinated clothing or displays of neatly stacked sweaters. He took a few steps forward and noticed that the aisles stretched back almost to infinity and all as neatly organized if not a bit dimmer and less brightly coloured.

A few more steps and he found Rose standing amidst many colourfully decorated Christmas trees. To say he found this odd, would be an understatement. He walked around the trees observing when he noticed things moving in them, reflections or images caught in the shiny baubles adorning the trees. He took a moment to watch them and realized these were moments in her life. Then it hit him. Everything here was her. He paced over and lay a hand on a sweater and was overwhelmed by a memory of her past, a row with her mother over Mickey, the idiot boyfriend. He lifted his hand up and looked around in amazement. Her mind was literally an organized department store.

He was astounded, a bit delighted and a touched appalled that of all the symbolic representations she could have chosen, it was some retail homage to capitalism. He turned back to the forest of decorated holiday trees. He walked amongst them, seeing the slight flashes of movement and even catching a tiny voice here and there until he found her before one tree in particular.

"Rose," he said tentatively.

She turned to him and smiled. "Hi."

"I need you to help me, Rose."

She fidgeted. "I don't know. I…" she looked around and seemed unsure. "It's all so confusing. I get lost sometimes."

"I won't let you get lost," he assured her and meant it. He reached out his hand and wiggled his fingers. She grinned brightly at him and took his hand in hers lacing her fingers with his tightly.

"Tell me about the trees," he prodded as he looked at the tree before him. There was something familiar about it but he couldn't put his finger on what it was.

"Dunno. I just like 'em. Especially, this one though. It's special."

That caught his attention. "Why? Why this one?"

Rose looked at the tree. "It sings, like the sound of wind chimes or the tinkling of crystals blowing in the wind. It reminds me of something special."

He looked at the tree and reached out a hand. She yanked him back. "No, you mustn't. It's not time yet."

He arched a brow at her and she bit her lip. "It's not Christmas. You can't unwrap your presents before Christmas."

"Christmas, right," he said, nodding his head and not understanding what that was supposed to symbolise.

"Sometimes I peek when I shouldn't. Mum used to scold me. But sometimes she'd let me open one on Christmas eve."

"Rose, have you peeked at your gifts?"

She looked away. "Maybe."

He felt a smile burst forth on his face. This was it, what he was looking for and his clever girl already had an idea of what was coming even if not consciously. "It's all right, you know. I'd have peeked too. Nothing wrong with a heavy dose of curiosity."

"But it killed the wolf," she answered him solemnly and looked frightened.

He paled. It was a howling beast that had attacked him last time, a wolf. "Rose, are you afraid of the wolf?"

"No, are you afraid of the big bad wolf?

"Welll….I might be a bit wary of it. Should I be?"

She stared at him and he had the sensation of her digging into his very well barricaded mind, slipping through his reinforced titanium laced mental fortress as if it was paper. Finally, she spoke. "No. Unless, your bad and don't keep your promise."

He tightened his grip on her hand, almost painfully. "What promise?" he demanded, a bit of anger lacing his voice. The lights in the store flickered and dimmed.

"Shhhhh," Rose whispered. "Come on, we need to go." She then dragged him away from the trees all which had dimmed but the one with the sprigs of silver leaves. It winked at him almost teasingly and that's when it hit him. Silver leaves. Only one planet had silver leafed trees, his.

He reluctantly allowed her to march him down aisle after aisle until she stopped in electronics where there were rows of televisions. She walked him up to one and it flickered on. It was a movie, some remake of Clash of the Titans only these weren't actors.

"Impossible," he gasped as he watched scenes from his home world, scenes of war councils, people running and great battles and then he saw himself standing in a burning city, looking out over the broken and dead bodies with tears coursing down his face. "No, I don't want to see this!" he said in a broken voice and looked away.

"I don't want to either but we have to," Rose answered.

He turned to her and saw not condemnation but compassion reflected in her eyes. "It ends so it can begin."

That caught his attention. "They are all dead, Rose. I killed them."

She reached up and gently cupped his face. "Life goes on. The universe goes on, limps along, even damaged. Look," she said softly and turned his face toward the televisions.

He saw himself, still standing amidst the chaos and destruction only this time, he was not alone. "I don't remember this," he whispered in shock. He felt Rose grip his hand and he squeezed hers back.

There were three women before him, their faces, hidden by gauzy grey and white cloaks but he knew who they were. "The fates." He swallowed hard. The old sisterhood had long since perished, drowned out by progress and the new enlightened ways his people embraced. But, some still lingered in the shadows, living quiet lives away from the grandeur and advances of those who embraced the new ways of his society, the technological and scientific advances. Few of his people would ever meet one such as them much less three, the infamous three. Humans knew them as Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note: I am incorporating or referencing Roman Mythology. I'm trying to stay consistent to Roman mythology names. Some of you may be more familiar with Greek names so I just wanted to let you know that in one case, the Roman name is substantially different and not as well known. Thanks for reading!

_"I don't remember this," he whispered in shock. He felt Rose grip his hand and he squeezed hers back._

_There were three women before him, their faces, hidden by gauzy grey and white cloaks but he knew who they were. "The fates." He swallowed hard. The old sisterhood had long since perished, drowned out by progress and the new enlightened ways his people embraced. But, some still lingered in the shadows, living quiet lives away from the grandeur and advances of those who embraced the new ways of his society, the technological and scientific advances. Few of his people would ever meet one such as them much less three, the infamous three. Humans knew them as Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos._

Fear and anger swirled in a maelstrom within the Doctor. Someone had mucked about with his memories or his timeline and at the moment, he had a good feeling it was the three women facing his past self. The three standing there swathed in their sheer gray and white cloaks were said to be quite powerful, perhaps as powerful as the human legends written about them.

Humanity had told the tale as three fates spinning the thread of life, deciding who was born, when, how long they lived and when they died. It was a primitive representation of what his people were capable of, how they could manipulate time and influence the development of not just worlds but the universe.

The one known as Clotho was responsible for spinning the thread of life. It was said she made decisions such as when a person was born, when they would be saved from peril or when their life ended. This was powerful in a sense humans couldn't understand. In primitive terms, it was the difference between Leonard Da Vinci being born in 1452 or 1852 or whether John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 or lived to further influence his country's political and economic future. It made the Doctor think of Rose and wonder. Had someone altered her time line, when her life came into being?

Then, there was the one known as Lachesis. She was called the measurer of the thread woven by Clotho's spindle and was often known as the determiner of destiny. In his terms, it meant she picked and chose a sentient creature's ultimate potential, effected them and their choices, influencing them one way or another of her choosing. Did she play a part in Rose's or perhaps even his fate? What part did she play in his people's War.

Finally, there was Atropos. She was the eldest of the three Fates. Perhaps, she was the most deadly and feared of the three and was known to have little compassion or sympathy not unlike many of the Doctor's own people. She chose the means for ending life. Humans saw her as wielding the shears of death, snipping the threads of life with little remorse and a frigid ruthlessness.

A cold seething anger raged in the Doctor. Had she been the one to snip the lives of all his people? Had these three sisters of that long forgotten sisterhood manipulated him into an act of such destruction. He stood there, in Rose's mind, focused on the television, Rose's hand firmly in his. She hadn't said another word and instead watched with him as the events of his past, his lost memories unfolded before them.

"What are you doing here?" the Doctor on the television asked.

One of the sisters, Clotho, stepped forward. "We have seen the beginning and the end, all that is, was and ever could be."

Another, Lachesis, shifted forward. "You think you know, Doctor. You think you see the flaw, the crack in your civilization, the disintegration and degeneration of your species."

"I do see, very clearly. I see death and the destruction of all things, all life and time itself. You know I can't let that happen."

The third, Atropros, spoke. "Can't you? All things end, even your people. Especially, such an ancient, arrogant, long lived race."

"Pompous fools!" Clotho added.

"Thinking they could do better than us, our sisters and the eternals before them and look at where they are now. Fighting, bickering and raining destruction upon all of creation over who is superior, who will oversee all and attempting to prevent any other species from evolving and challenging their power," Lachesis said with derision lacing her voice.

"Ironic considering what they did to our sisters!" Atropos snapped.

"None of that matters now! It has to end. I can't allow them to destroy all life for their own conceit and desire to put themselves above all else," the Doctor recited bitterly.

"And in your own vanity and cockiness, you find no way other than destroying not only your own people, all life, the innocents amongst your own race but other creatures of time who would be the collateral causalities of this act of destruction?" Clotho demanded. "How very Titan-esque of you," she dryly commented. "There was a time when our sisters thought you different, a man of vision and prophecy. Now, look at you, no better than all the others of your kind; a killer and murderer who chooses genocide as the easy solution."

"Easier to snip it off isn't it Doctor?" Atropos asked coldly.

The Doctor of the past continued raging at them. "What would you have me do? There is no other solution! The Eternals and any other race that could stand up to them, other than the bloody evil ones who want the same universal destruction, are all gone."

"Are you asking us for assistance?" Lachesis almost purred. "For if we are asked…"

"We might offer, an intervention…" Clotho offered.

"A different outcome, but it will have a price," Atropos finished with a hard but satisfied note to her voice

"Yes, you must pay the price. The Sisterhood must continue," Clotho added.

"What do you mean?" the Doctor demanded.

"There is an ancient legend," Lachesis said with a hint of mystery. "It is said that all must end to begin; and that to be stronger we must fail."

"Life has no meaning without death. Immortality makes life meaningless. The urgency of learning, growing and living is only possible through knowing time is limited," Atropos lectured.

"I am aware of that! What do you think I'm trying to do here?" the Doctor shouted at them.

They laughed. "Ending it all before any of them even learn their lesson and shaking time itself in the process is hardly the answer," Atropos retorted.

"The answer lies in the past, Doctor. It was unfortunate that your people made so much effort to bury it that it was lost to them. But…it was not lost for all. Your people couldn't bury all of it," Clotho suggested.

"Those that remain true to the old ways, those few sisters that survived remembered. They knew this day would come, the day of reckoning and rebirth," Lachesis advised him with great flourish.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "I can't believe I'm listening to this rubbish when the end of everything is upon us." He growled in frustration and looked at them. "Are you going to offer me anything better than some old mysterious prophecy that no one remembers or even knows what it means?"

"It means Doctor, that you have a choice. All will fall at your hand but what is done can be undone. You, Child of Gallifrey, Guardian of Time will do what you were born to do. Choose the fate of all you claim to protect," Clotho said in a dramatic and ominous voice.

"No, I need more. I need to know how it ends," he said, swallowing hard.

"How it ends? Very well. You will end us and save us, but not yourself. You will bear the weight of the sins of your people until the Sisterhood is returned. This is the cost, your covenant. You will walk alone in the universe until you find she who bears the gifts of all that we are, Anesidora, she who gives life and will return our sisters. Only then will there be balance and all restored," Lachesis explained.

"I don't understand."

"This is the covenant, the promise you make to us. Gallifrey will be no more and all lost until you fulfill your promise," Clotho explained.

"But don't think you have eternity to make this happen," Lachesis said with a chastising tone. "The power you release to stop this war, to lock Gallifrey away in time has repercussions," she admonished.

"All things have consequences, Doctor, whether you accept the covenant or not. Destroy Gallifrey, suffer and watch as time ever so slowly cracks, oozing across the universe, the multiverse, twisting in upon itself, deforming and transforming that which you know, until nothing is left but a never ending and deteriorating causal loop. Life forms are born over and over, living and dying over and over until finally…snip snip. It is all done," Atropos explained.

"And if I agree to this covenant, to finding this Anesidora, Gallifrey will be restored? What about the war? Will it return as well?" he demanded.

"Gallifrey would not be at war if the sisterhood was allowed to continue, to keep the balance of power!" Lachesis, accused.

"The Sisterhood fell because we allowed our faith to blind us, because we rejected technology and did not evolve. Your people likewise fell because they demanded superiority above all things, declared themselves as gods, clung to their technology and rejected where they came from and failed to change. Both must learn. Both need the other to create balance and return us to harmony with time," Clotho lectured.

"The Sisterhood are almost extinct. Only a few remain. How will this Anesidora solve this, bring back enough of you to make a difference?" the Doctor asked, not trusting them.

"She is the key to our return as well as the return of your people, all of our people. Find Anesidora, Doctor," Atropos commanded, not really answering him.

"In other words, you don't know," the Doctor said sarcastically. "And how will I find her? You haven't given me anything except a name."

Lachesis smiled through her gauzy cloak. "It is your destiny. You will find her where and when you least expect it, when you are mired in darkness and despair."

"That's it? I don't believe you. There has to be more?" he shouted angrily. "If I'm to bind myself to you, I need to know what you're not telling me and don't lie because I know you lot, you never tell anyone the entire truth."

"Who said anything about truth?" Clotho asked with amusement. "Time is in flux. This is a prophecy based upon choices, ours, yours and hers. Destroy Gallifrey and watch time slowly twist and destroy everything you suffer to protect; agree to our terms and gain a chance at saving all."

"Wait a minute! When did this suddenly become a chance? Prophecy would seem to indicate…"

"Enough!" Atropos shouted. "Do you agree or not? Do you make the promise to find the one who can restore the balance?"

It was clear the Doctor was unhappy and frustrated and didn't want to make this choice. Finally, he shouted, "Yes! I promise! I will find this Anesidora and do whatever the bloody hell we have to in order to fix this! Now tell me what I need to do so we can get this over with!"

"Do what you planned. Use the sacred moment of time and leave the rest to us," Lachesis said softly.

"That's it?" the Doctor shouted in frustration. The Fates stared at him silently. He muttered a few curses and walked over to an urn with symbols and swirly markings on it sitting on a pedestal. It looked harmless like a primitive piece of Earth pottery but the contents would shake time itself. He aimed his sonic screwdriver at the urn and it began to vibrate. Explosions rocked nearby and smoke and dust filled the air as shouting voices neared. His hand shook at the enormity of this action. Part of him didn't believe the sisters and he was sure he would die with his people.

The Fates surrounded the pedestal and him. The urn cracked and pure time began leaking, its golden embers snaking out and around the destroyed building that contained it, sinking into cracks in the mosaic floor and whispering upwards and outwards. The Doctor closed his eyes.

"Face your fate Doctor," one of the Fates called out to him. He opened his eyes and found the Third Fate, Atropos near him.

He saw her smiling cruelly at him through her gauzy veil. "The choice is made. Now you face the challenge."

"Wait, what challenge? You didn't say anything about a challenge! Just find this Anesidora!" he groused.

"Oh, didn't we tell you? How remiss of us," she said with a bit of evil glee.

"Remiss!" he shouted. The urn began to shatter, the ground shook and the sky itself seemed on fire.

"You won't remember any of this until you prove yourself worthy."

The images disappeared as the television screen exploded. The Doctor yanked Rose back. He was fury personified. He'd been living centuries in misery due to some mystical interfering seers with delusions of grandeur. "Bloody Fates!" he cursed and then looked at Rose. She appeared confused and cocked her head to the side as every television screen glowed and cracks spider webbed across them.

As he gazed as his blonde companion, he began to put the pieces together and his jaw dropped. "It can't be," he whispered.

Rose turned to him and smiled. "It's all right, Doctor. We can fix it."

All the time lines converged in his mind on this moment. Oh he was sure they could fix it all right but he wasn't sure if she comprehended what _it_ was. Earlier she had talked about it not being time and that curiosity killed the wolf. But, what did it mean?

"Rose, do you know who you are?" he asked, gazing into her golden brown eyes watching her for any reaction or acknowledgment.

She furrowed her brow again. "Doctor, how could you not know who I am? We're in my head."

"No," he growled in frustration. "I mean do you know who you really are?"

As if she was talking to someone suffering from a mental disability she said slowly, "Rose Tyler."

He sighed and looked up at the fluorescent lighted ceiling of the shopping mecca representation of her mind. He looked back at her intently and made a decision. Maybe this was all he needed to do.

"Anesidora," he said expectantly as if it were some magic word that would unlock all the secrets to time and space.

Rose stared at him confused. "Are you feeling okay?"

He cursed in several languages and paced around glaring at everything. "Of course, this wouldn't be easy. Those Fates, evil sisters, Pythias!" he spit out.

They had tinkered with his memories to make him suffer and now they purposefully were making this difficult. He raged internally, his jaw clenched as he thought about what that vicious hag, Atropos had said. He had to wait until he was bloody worthy whatever that meant. He should have known better than to put his and Gallifrey's destiny in the hands of the Fates. He turned from Rose and began pacing and tugging at his hair even if it wasn't his real hair and just some telepathic representation inside her head. His anger was getting the better of him as he thought back on what he'd seen and heard and how the memories from that time began to solidify in his mind.

Cutting a deal with such vindictive creatures had been a mistake. Now he and Rose were caught up in some twisted Gallifreyan mystical fable of doom. He turned back to Rose. They were still in her mind and she was the same Rose, still the brave and compassionate girl who'd run forward to save a complete stranger from being attacked. Swirling with time and mystery and yet she maintained a certain innocence about herself. An uneasiness filled him and one thought pounded inside of him: He didn't want to lose her. Prophecies like this had a nasty habit of requiring sacrifices or other nasty unpleasant business before they were complete. He was overcome by a strong protective feeling, a conviction that he would not sacrifice her. Yet, he had made a promise and the fate of not just Gallifrey but the universe rested with him and Rose. He couldn't run from this.

"Rose, you watched what happened on the telly with me," he began.

She nodded her head and looked around at the shattered televisions. The lights flickered around them and she grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the electronics department and back toward linens. There, she ran a hand over some folded bath towels.

"Aren't you looking for something?" she asked, seemingly focused on the linens.

"Yes and we saw and heard some of the answers. Rose, do you know who Anesidora is?"

She turned to him, a far off look in her eyes. "It's like a song, yeah?"

He wasn't sure how to respond. He didn't know who or what Anesidora was. Maybe she was like a song. Time, the flow of it was like notes in an orchestral movement. It sang to him as it did to many of his people. Rose had mentioned that one of the Christmas trees, the one with silver leaves sang to her and reminded her of something special. Perhaps that was a clue.

He watched Rose focus on the stacks of folded linens. If there was something inside of her, some remnant of the sisterhood, he had to proceed with caution. "I don't know, Rose. I suppose she could be like a song. Do you hear her?"

Rose shrugged. "What if she doesn't want to be found?"

That stopped him cold. It was a good point. What if this Anesidora was hiding within Rose or sleeping inside of her? Perhaps she was speaking through Rose now."

"She can't hide forever. It's like you said, life goes on and she's a bit special."

Rose shook her head vehemently. "No, she's not!" Rose looked at him then and her eyes shined and golden tears trailed down her face.

"Rose, I…" He never finished that thought. The building shook and the lights flickered and exploded around them.

"Doctor!" she shouted and he pulled her into his arms. "This isn't you or me. It's…Fuck! It's outside. Hang on, Rose!"

In a flash he was back inside himself kneeling before her and she gasped for breath and stared at him in shock. Glass rained down around them and several reptile like humanoid beings crashed to the floor nearby.

"Silurians," he said with anger. He stood up and pulled Rose up beside him protectively.

The group of ten armed Silurians surrounded them and one strode forward. "You are the Gallifreyan known as the Doctor," she announced.

"What if I am?"

The Silurians eyes moved to Rose as if assessing her. "She's under my protection," the Doctor informed them in a cold tone.

The Silurian directed her gaze at him. "Apes do not interest us unless it's to eradicate their plague from our world."

"Is that so?" the Doctor drawled, his face an icy mask but pleased they were focused on him and not Rose. "Funny, this seems to be their world now, a world you abandoned and which I have become a bit fond of and might feel possessive of lately."

"This! Is our world!" she practically hissed. "You have no claim. And you will release your hold or…" She aimed a weapon at Rose. "Your pet's life will be ended."

"Pet!" Rose shouted. "I am not his bloomin' pet!"

The Doctor gripped her arm and yanked her hard against his side. "She's right. She is more than my pet. You really want to threaten my…." He paused and thought about what he was about to say. It was the only way to assure her safety despite the fact it grated against everything he felt. "Mate," he finished.

"What?" Rose breathed out, staring at him as if he was bonkers.

"That is disgusting!" the Silurian declared. "You are a superior species and yet you demean yourself with such…lowly, dirty…"

"Oi! Watch it!" Rose warned.

"What I do is none of your business. If I should mate with a hundred humans it's not your concern other than to respect any I declare as my mate and all the diplomatic courtesies and immunities such a person is afforded. Besides, it's not like my people haven't often amused themselves on this planet over the millennia."

"Your people are dead. Perhaps that is why," she responded haughtily. "The great Gallifreyan Empire is no more and now the Silurian Empire shall ascend as it was always meant to."

He snorted. "You have got to be kidding me! You! Your people fled when they believed this planet was going to be destroyed, gave up and then went out and found a new world, been gone for over a million years really. You left this planet to suffer, be destroyed but instead it evolved and it did without you. When you abandoned it, you lost your right. We took over, kept an eye on things and maybe a few of us had a bit of fun, still might be having fun."

"Doctor!" Rose warned again, now becoming insulted and angrier by the moment. She didn't care about lizard people trying to invade or getting into a pissing contest with him. He didn't have the right to treat her this way and neither did the invaders. They needed to know humans wouldn't just hand over the planet to them and were stronger than they looked.

The Doctor ignored her. "I'm only going to give you one warning. Leave now or you won't like what happens next."

The Silurian strode forward and grabbed his throat, leaving marks on him. "We fear nothing and certainly not some petty, powerless Gallifreyan, the last of his kind devolving and debasing himself with the local wildlife." She then shoved him backwards. "You will end the darkness you set upon this land and release whatever hold you have on his world or we will begin eradicating every living thing on it beginning with you and your…mate!" she spit out.

He barked out a bitter laughter. "Oh, you have no idea who you are dealing with Silurian. Or is it what? Captain? Commander or something equally militant."

"Commander Restac! And, you will show respect!"

"Well Commander Restac, you are correct. Right now, I am the only Gallifreyan around but you didn't ask the right question.

Rose stood by watching this and getting a really bad feeling. She'd gotten to know him a bit in the short time they had met and she could sense something ominous coming, a coldness about him that prickled her skin and shivered down her spine. He didn't like being told what to do and he especially resented anyone trespassing in what he considered his domain. Rose instinctually knew these creatures who threatened them were about to learn what it meant to cross her Doctor. Part of her wanted to stop this, to show him he was more than a killer. Memories of what they'd experienced in her mind flashed in her head almost like a dream. She knew he had been there at the end of his people, that he had made the hard choice. It terrified her and yet she felt compassion for him. He had only been trying to do the right thing.

The images of the three Fates were less defined, almost like ghosts taunting him. She couldn't remember all of it. Only whispers of promises, covenants and taunting along with his own anguish and fury. That fury was about to be unleashed yet again. Although part of her wanted to yank him back, stop him, another part of her wanted him to do what must be done. These feelings of acceptance frightened her more than what she was sure he would do. Her attention was drawn back to the Doctor and Commander as the sky flashed with lightening and rain fell on them through the destroyed glass dome.

"And what is the right question, Doctor?" Commander Restac spat out.

"If I am the last, what happened to the others? What or who could destroy an entire civilization in the blink of an eye, a civilization hundreds of thousands of years old, powerful, practically immortal and who controlled time and space as if it were nothing," he said in soft dangerous voice, relishing the sinister air surrounding him and oozing around the building as the rain poured down and lightening struck with a crash nearby.

The Silurians looked nervous and aimed their weapons at him. He smirked.

"You!" she said with accusation. "You destroyed your own people!"

"Who else? Do you really think there was anyone else advanced enough to wield time in such a way. How many billions do you think I wiped out of existence? Do you really think I'm going to allow a few Silurians to stand in my way, disrespect me and what's mine?" he asked ominously, power radiating forth off of him making the very floor vibrate.

The Silurian hissed, "Destroy them both!"

Rose gripped onto his arm and it was as if time slowed around her. She felt an eerie calm and then a warmth radiated from deep inside of her. Tears welled up as she looked at the Silurians firing their weapons, the deadly pulse charges glowing blue as they hung in air unmoving. The Doctor was like a statute, his face hard, determined except for a simmering rage glowing in his brown eyes. He would do this, unleash power strong enough to destroy those before them, to protect her and all life on Earth. It wasn't fair that it should always fall to him. She felt a goodness in him, deep inside under layers of anger, bitterness and self-loathing. This had to stop. She couldn't stand by and just watch it happen. Something ancient and sleeping awakened, something that had always been there. She knew what could happen, so many possible outcomes but she didn't know if she could live with them. Deep down, she was still Rose, still believed in second chances, in love and that people could be better. Rose shut her eyes and turned her head into his shoulder and whispered "No more. Please, no more."

What happened next would be written about, become legend and myth across the universe. A vortex of pure energy enveloped the building, destroying it utterly in a swirling mass of debris. This massive funnel, never damaged anything else. In fact, just a few feet away, a man walking his dog barely felt more than a light breeze as he watched the swirling wind and lightening consume the old conservatory.

When it stopped, all that remained was the Doctor, standing tall with Rose by his side, staring down at Silurian warriors who had been tossed about, battered and broken, now fully disarmed. It was Rose who walked up to them, her clothes wet, tattered and her hair a tanged wet mess. She stood there in her drenched jeans and hoody and stood over Commander Restac lying prone on the ground. "This world is protected. Leave or next time we won't be so nice and understanding." She turned, picked up her drenched and tattered rucksack and walked up to the Doctor and grasped his hand.

They turned and walked silently away into the darkness, disappearing into the mist whilst the Silurians watched in fear and a touch of relief. Earth suddenly didn't appear so appealing.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this ends in an evil place. Sometimes an evil cliffie just happens and yes there will be smut in the next chapter.

Neither the Doctor nor Rose spoke as they walked away from the destroyed conservatory. They didn't look back either. There was no running, only strolling away as if they hadn't almost devastated more than a building or wielded a power capable of destroying the entire planet. Hand in hand they walked down the pavement, the dark clouds cloaking the city and a drizzling rain dousing their already drenched clothing. People darted out of their way as they walked emotionless down the street. The only sign anything was amiss was their drenched and storm damaged clothing, along with the slight tremor from Rose as the cold seeped into her still human body. Eventually, the Doctor's pace picked up and he began guiding her down a few dark alleys and into the underground. Rose never responded as he gained them access to the Tube without payment or coercion.

She sat on the train, staring forward but not really looking at anything. Her mind was in overload trying to process what had just happened. The Doctor never let go over hand and made sure she was tight against his side. Part of her wondered about that, about why suddenly he felt the need for so much contact when before it was like she was a nuisance. Much had changed since the destruction of the conservatory. Rose was more aware of what she was capable of, had seen and heard things from the Doctor's past and watched how it tormented him.

The train stopped and the Doctor pulled her off and they walked. The crowds were thinning as they made their way down streets with water streaming down them from the increasing cold pelt of rain. Rose shifted her rucksack only to have the Doctor tug at her harder, encouraging her forward. Exhaustion, both physical and mental, was pulling at her.

Memories of what she had done, how she had touched the Doctor, and felt something spark between them haunted her. It had been like she instinctually knew how to temper whatever power flowed between them as well as manipulate it and focus it, achieving some unknown goal. She didn't know how she'd done whatever it was. All she knew was how it felt and the end result. It scared her and elated her like a rush of adrenalin and yet it also left her with a heavy sadness.

Soon, she realized where they were, Canary Wharf. This had once been a thriving business district with large corporations and businesses with home offices in the mighty high-rises. After the never-ending cloud cover arrived, many businesses shut down or moved. Canary Wharf was still a business district but not as prosperous as it once was. They walked toward the Thames and an abandoned half finished high rise. As he pulled her into the unfinished cavernous lobby, it struck her. She stopped, pulling him to a halt.

"You, the rain and clouds…it's because of you. You brought this to London. You bein' all moody, unhappy and suffering brought this on. We live this way because of you."

The Doctor snorted and muttered something about stupid apes and their tiny little brains making up excuses. He yanked her forward to a lift and pulled out his sonic screwdriver and aimed it at the controls. Rose glared at him.

As the lift moved upward he turned to her. "What?"

"You know people suffered because of all this, all of what you brought down here."

"Humans adapt and it's not like they lost their planet and people. They can tolerate a bit of rain. It's nothing and if they stopped blaming each other or making up excuses, maybe they'd figure it out. It's not that hard," he groused even though he didn't deny it. The doors opened and he pulled her out onto an unfinished floor. The windows were partially glassed in, the ceiling was nothing but steel beams and rafters and the floor concrete. Some of the interior walls were up and she followed him down a and unfinished hall and through a dark brown door into a more finished room. It was similar to the quarters he had first taken her too except there was no fireplace and only limited furniture.

She dropped her ruck sack with a wet thunk on throw rug and looked around the room. It was three times the size of her mother's flat and there was a golden incandescent lighting in the floor near the walls that shined up against them softly lighting the room. There were heavy dark brown wood shelves of books, a few wooden tables, an old worn blue leather sofa and at one end their appeared to be a door leading to a loo. One wall was floor to ceiling windows which were thankfully glassed in. She walked over to the windows and looked down at the Thames through the misty greyness that surrounded them. She could hear him walk up beside her. She shivered again, wrapping her arms around herself and looked at him.

"This one of your places then? You have 'em all over London?" she asked.

"I get around," he responded gruffly. "You never know when you need to get away from all that, you know humany stuff," he said bitterly and waving his arm near the window indicating the city.

"You could just leave Earth, couldn't you? Or are you stuck here?" she asked.

"I'm not stuck anywhere! I go where I please, when I please!" he snapped and shoved his hands in his pocket, a dark glower on his face.

He sighed and turned to her, watching her as she stood wet, face pale, make up long since washed away revealing just her. She was cold, wavering slightly and looking oh so young and vulnerable. Yet, was she vulnerable? He wasn't so sure. As they'd raced across the city away from the destroyed conservatory, he'd been worried. It hadn't just been him that had defeated the Silurians. In fact, it worried him how much control he'd lost, how she had slipped inside of his mind as easy as ripping through a wet paper sack. She'd wrapped her human heart around his anger, pulling him back from the brink and telepathically held his hand joining with him in a way he hadn't ever experienced.

It had been as if the very physics of the planet, the elements, the energy, the life and nature itself was theirs to command, both of them together. He knew how to wield it and she tempered him. He wouldn't have given the Silurians a second chance but she was human, she still had the compassion he had lost. She had been a brilliant sight to behold, powerful, awe inspiring as part of her sang to him in a way he had not heard since he lost his people.

If he had been drawn to her before, to unravel her mystery, figure out who she was and what she was becoming, now he couldn't let her go. Everything inside of him screamed for her, to feel her once more surrounding him, filling him with light and her essence. All the dark emotions, the anger, resentment, bitterness and self-deprecation were metamorphosing into a desire, need, want to possess her and know her in ways he had not thought of in many years. He tried to tamp these feelings down.

She was Rose, young and innocent and not for the likes of him but then he thought of her smile, her eyes, her bravery and indomitable spirit and he felt swept away again. He hadn't wanted anyone like this in centuries and knew he should run from her, put distance between them and yet he couldn't. Rose was the key to saving his people and stopping the prophesied end of the universe so running wasn't an option. The two of them had to work together, figure this out.

Rose watched as he started to pace, tug at his hair and generally work himself into a foul mood. She was cold, wet and didn't want to stand around waiting for him spout of some angry babble of how the universe was against him or worse blame her. She walked back to her ruck sack and started digging through it. All her clothes were damp. Focusing on simple things like finding dry clothes or thinking about a hot meal were easier than thinking about him or what had just happened.

Her emotions were still in turmoil. She tried not to think about what they had done. She shivered as she remembered the sounds of howling winds and how they whipped around her, pelting her with freezing rain. That wasn't all that happened though. The harder she tried to not think about it, the more her mind itched to make her remember. There had been something more and it came from inside of her. She remembered a feeling of sadness and weariness and fear that transcended just a fear for Earth. It was something deeper, a deep seeded revulsion of war, fighting and the death that resulted from such violence. She just wanted it to stop. Then, there was him, the Doctor. He was filled with so much darkness and loss. She felt compelled to wrap him up in warmth and light. He needed someone to stop him, make him think and see alternatives. And buried in all of these things was something magnetic drawing her to him, the man inside and buried beneath an armour of bitterness.

The sound of his wet trainers squeaking on the concrete floor sounded behind her. "Rose, we have to discuss this, what happened at the conservatory."

"It's done and over with," she interrupted. "And I don't want to..." She paused feeling tears prick her eyes. "I don't know how it happened. I just know that it did and it had to, that things couldn't go on and that you needed..."

He placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her around until they faced each other. Before he could stop himself, the words tumbled out. "I needed you." When he realized what he'd said, he flinched and wrenched back his hand as if burned. "I mean, I needed you to wake up, what's inside of you," he babbled. He scowled then. "You know, Anesidora, she's in you and she bloody well needs to talk to me," he said gruffly, looking anywhere but at her.

Rose wrapped her arms around herself protectively, feeling annoyed at him for being so insensitive and trying to make this about him. He was back to annoying git mode and she wasn't in the mood to put up with it. "Who is this Anesidora and why's she in me cos' I don't know anything 'bout her or what she wants?" she finally said as she turned back to her task, tossing items out of her sack which landed with a wet plop on the floor.

He felt overwhelmed by frustration. Oh, but he wanted to blame her for being stubborn and purposefully not knowing. Logically, he knew this was something buried deep within her mind but that didn't stop him from still needing to vent.

He couldn't stop the glare he directed at her. "She's the key to saving my people. You saw the fates when we were in your head. Bloody vindictive hags! You heard what they said. I had to find Anesidora and she'd fix it, save my people and stop the end of the universe."

Rose felt her temper kick in. The way he was talking to her and shooting her looks as if everything were her fault. She'd had it and stood up to face off against him. "Look I don't know anything about her or how she got in me! I'm just Rose, born human, raised human, girl off the estate, shop girl and now the girl who's being chased across London by aliens and for what? I didn't do anything! I was just livin' my life!"

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Oh please! What you were doing was the opposite of living!" He stalked over to her, invading her personal space. "It's why you couldn't stay away from me. You wanted more, needed more because you were empty and..." He stopped when he realized those words could describe him as well. He reached back and rubbed his neck and backed away. "and it's not important. What is important is that she's in you probably via some ancient metaphysical telepathic and temporal manipulation. It's all over you and in your timeline."

"But I don't want it!" Rose shouted angrily.

"Tough! You were chosen. Congratulations, you've won the saviour of the universe lottery. Welcome to the underappreciated guardians of time and space society where you too can have the universe piss on you and expect you to save it."

Rose was tired of listening to him and refusing to give up control of her life like this. "You know what, you and the universe can sod off. I'm done for the day." She grabbed her rucksack and went toward the door she hoped led to the loo. She closed the door after her with a decisive bang leaving a frustrated and grumpy Doctor on the other side.

He walked over to a book shelf, plucked a hard back off and proceeded to throw it across the room followed by another and another. This was followed by him kicking a few pieces of furniture. Curses spewed forth in many Earth and non-Earth languages. He paced and raged. Blame fell on his people for starting a war that would rip apart time and space and put him in this position and forced his hand. Now, he was stuck in the middle of another universal crisis only this one had a pink and yellow stubborn human female at the centre.

Lightening flashed across the sky and the clouds darkened. He walked over to the window and directed all his frustrations and anger outward feeding the storm until winds raged across the city and rain poured from the sky. He clenched his fists and closed his eyes trying to let go of all this emotion afflicting him. It wasn't as if he had never been moody, quite the contrary. It was that this time it was different. This time the bubbling emotions were coming from something, someone that not just gotten under his skin but in his head.

Memories of being within her mind and what that felt like consumed him. Telepathic union with another sentient being, especially one as temporally complicated as her, was seductive. It felt good and chased away his loneliness but it wasn't just that he enjoyed joining his mind to hers. She was Rose. He had to admit that even without the mystery surrounding her, her energy, spirit, curiosity and ability to embrace life and all it held was enticing. He'd had a taste of all she was mixed in with something that reminded him of home and he wanted more. He stared at the door she disappeared behind and hesitated as he had not hesitated in many years. She was there, just beyond his grasp but, he was afraid.

He wanted her but he needed her to want him, to embrace him and chase away the shadows of his past. It wasn't enough to possess her he needed… He paused and swallowed hard now overcome with this emotion. Desire for her and a need for her to accept him was almost a physical pain. He tugged at his hair in frustration. Why was a being like him, with seeming god-like powers, who witnessed the destruction of Troy and the decimation of the Great Library of Alexander, worried about a young human girl wanting him? If he wanted, he could seduce her in ways she barely understood.

A voice within him whispered: "But I want her to choose me of her free will, to be my partner, my friend, my lover." Would a creature like Rose, filled with such goodness and a need to save life ever want someone like him? He had killed billions and was tainted. He whipped around and slammed his hands onto the window almost breaking it. His breath was coming heavy as he waged this internal war.

Tears almost leaked from his eyes as he suffered this emotional conflict. It all boiled down to a simple principal. Boy meets girl, or in his case, superior being meets girl who may be the imbibed with the remnants of some ancient mythical sisterhood; and boy and girl get to know one another. They had done that for certain. Although, he may not have done much of a job of impressing her. On the other hand, he mused, he had rather impressively saved her and more than once. Still, her perceptions were human. Then again, she hadn't run screaming and instead she'd teased him and demanded answers. The more he thought about it, the more he realized, she was flirting with him.

That gave him pause. Boy meets girl and boy shows off, saves her, saves her Mum. Oh. He'd met her mother. Wasn't that an important part of human mating rituals? He jumped away from the window and looked at his reflection. "Blimey," he gasped. "I met her mother."

He ran a hand through his damp hair and down the side of his face. Oh he was in it now. He'd done the equivalent of taken her on life threatening dates, brought her home with him, met her mother and took a quick tour of her mind and then there was the little joint power trip they'd taken together. He remembered all too well what it felt like when she'd dipped into his mind to stop him, a warm golden light wrapping around him, protecting him and... He stopped and turned to stare at the door. She cared for him, more than cared for him. He took a step forward. In fact, her venturing into him was as much about saving him as it was the Silurians. It wasn't an act of charity, it was an act of love. He rubbed his hands over his face again and slowly walked toward the door, his heart pounding as he prepared to cross a threshold he never thought he would.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

When Rose shut the door behind her, she vented some of her frustrations. She had been on the run with him for days with little sleep or food and she just wanted a bath and to sleep in a real bed. It wasn't like she didn't understand the danger she was in and had seen it first-hand. But, she was still human and humans needed rest. Then, there was the whole Doctor aspect along with whatever was happening to her. None of that would be solved tonight.

She looked around the room which was lit by more yellow glowing lights around the base of the walls which made the walls look like they glowed yellow. The floor was made of shiny dark grey tiles and the room was furnished with dark wood cabinet next to a table with a white wash basin on top. There was a loo in the corner and against one wall was indeed a glorious sight. It was an old claw foot bathtub. The exterior was made of a burnished copper with a white porcelain interior. There was a spigot and hot and cold water taps connected to an enormous copper canister nearby that she assumed held water.

She heard thumping and cursing in the other room and rolled her eyes. She was so done with his temper tantrums. A bath would be a nice break. She unlaced her trainers and peeled off her cold wet jeans and hoody. Standing in her t-shirt and knickers, she turned on the water, attempting to adjust the temperature. As she worked, her mind drifted back to the Doctor.

He was the definition of intense, controlling and moody. Still, he had saved her life over and over again and he was the only one who had a chance of figuring out what was happening to her. He also sometimes gazed at her with a particular look in his eyes, an intensity that screamed far more interest than just curiosity. Perhaps that look, those deep dark brown eyes of his, made her want to tease him just to see if she get elicit something more than a scowl. It was like her personal challenge. She smiled as she thought this. He was a bit fine when he wasn't being a git. Not that she would ever admit to him that she might have stared at his arse a time or two and might have wondered what his hair felt like. He'd be insufferable if he knew that.

Of course, she couldn't avoid thinking about having him in her mind. It had been weird but in a strange way, comforting. Rose still didn't understand why she had seen his lost memories or what that meant or who this Anesidora was he kept talking about. All she knew was she felt safe with him and his being in her mind didn't feel alien or wrong. Quite the contrary, it felt right like it was meant to be. Even during their joint outburst against the Silurians, Rose couldn't deny her feelings, of wanting to keep him safe, them safe and her world safe. There was good in him. She'd felt it and it had touched her. There was something indescribable about him that she felt a connection to and she didn't want to lose him. Her cheeks flushed as she realized these feelings ran deep and were more than she was willing to admit. This had progressed beyond a mere flirtation or friendship.

The door opened behind her and she turned to see him standing before her, his brown pin stripe suit drenched from the weather, plastered to him, moulding to his body. His tie was unknotted and his dress shirt had been unbuttoned at the collar.

Rose felt her breath catch and for a moment. She knelt on the floor half leaning over the bath tub looking at the rumpled Doctor, his hair wet and tousled and staring at her intently. Then she remembered she was angry with him. "What do you want? And you better not be in here to tell me we're leaving 'cos I'm not until I have a proper bath."

His expression relaxed and he arched a brow at her as he strode over to the water. "This isn't a human water system," he said focused on the copper canister and waved his blue tipped sonic screwdriver around it.

She watched him as he rolled up his sleeves and made adjustments and the water began to warm. It occurred to her she'd never paid much attention to his arms or hands before. There was a smattering of dark hair over his forearms and his fingers were long and graceful. She licked her lips slightly as she felt that tug of attraction she kept trying to ignore. When he turned to her, she shook it off remembering their earlier spat.

"Thanks," she said curtly and pressed herself into the tub as she realized she was there in nothing but a t-shirt and knickers. He didn't miss that and looked her up and down, pausing at her chest and neck.

He swallowed hard. "I…I'm sorry for earlier. This, all of this has been frustrating and you haven't complained until now, remarkably. You deserve at bit of pampering."

Her mouth dropped open. He actually had apologized and said something nice to her.

"Are you feeling all right? I mean there's not a horde of aliens out there making you be all…"

"All what?" he asked in a soft amused voice.

"Nice, decent, kind…"

He snorted and turned and walked over to the cabinet and pulled out some bottles, one of which he dumped into the filling bath tub. Soon fragrant bubbles began filling it.

"You keep bubble bath?" she asked with an amused expression.

"Oi! Sometimes you have to wash the human stench off!" he retorted.

Rose shot him a glare and thought that sounded more like the Doctor she knew. "Right, well then…thanks for the help. I'll take it from here."

He stilled and turned back to the bath, dipping his sonic into the water. He stood up and looked at her with a warm gaze. "Told you, you deserve a bit of pampering."

"What you gonna do? Scrub my back?" she asked with the tiniest bit of a challenge, not that she expected him to accept.

The slightest smirk lit his face. He had been waiting for this, for her to tease him or provoke him into action. He paused and tossed his sonic into the air and caught it one handed and gave her a heated look tinged with amusement. "As a matter of fact I am. Why don't you finish up peeling off those wet things and I'll just whip up special bath products that will provide you with the ultimate bathing experience."

Rose couldn't believe he suggested that. "You want me to undress…in front of you?"

He shrugged and walked over to the table with the wash basin where he had set down some bottles. "If you're shy, I won't look but honestly, it's not like I haven't seen a nude human before. It's just your body. Nothing to be ashamed off."

"I am not ashamed!" she shot back. "I'm just…particular about who I share it with. That's all and it's not like I've known you that long."

He ignored her and focused on whatever he was doing which looked like a chemistry experiment. Rose hesitated a moment biting her lip, unsure about this whole idea. After a moment her stubbornness won out. She wouldn't let him intimidate her and it wasn't like he'd ever tried to pull her. He was more about finding answers and investigating her. He'd never acted the pervy alien and she was cold and the bath smelled wonderful. With a muttered curse about alien gits, she pulled off her wet t-shirt, bra and knickers and stepped into the hot bubbly water.

She couldn't help the groan of pleasure as the warm floral scented bubble filled water enveloped her. Rose lay her head against the back of the tub as all her tired muscles relaxed and the warm water chased away the chill from walking through the city in damp clothing. Her mind wandered as she listened to the clink of bottles and occasional buzzing of his sonic. Any concern she had for being unclothed in front of him ebbed away.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE NOTE RATING WENT UP TO EXPLICIT. This chapter contains serious seduction, bath tub smut scene and lots of sexy moves along with a consummation of their relationship. That's pretty much it. You can skip this be okay with the fic although you need to know that it happened and it's important in the overall story arc. Huge thank you to Littlewhomouse who made this ten times better than it was and to Silverlunarwolfstar who put up with my whinging about writing bath tub scenes and helped talk me through it.

The Doctor removed his trainers and tossed aside his suit coat. He unbuttoned his shirt and walked over to Rose soaking in the warm scented water. She looked relaxed lying with her head resting on the rim of the bubble filled tub. She was beautiful, like a water nymph although lacking a nymph's teasing and potentially vain and sometimes even cruel nature which the Doctor knew all too well having had a few run ins with some of the more amorous and selfish nymphs there on Earth. His Rose wasn't like that.

He was consumed with a burning desire to give her the universe. He wanted to take her away from this primitive world and show her wonders beyond her imagination, terrifying beauty along with awe inspiring sights. He could give her such things. It was within his power but that would be avoiding his responsibilities to the Fates. A dark resentment cut through him. Just when he had the possibility of something good in his life, the universe twisted it around to increase his burden and placed Rose smack in the middle of it.

But, none of that lessoned his desire for her. He kneeled by her head and leaned in close to her ear as he poured the contents of a glass bottle into the water and then aimed his sonic at it. The buzz seemed to jar her out of her rest and her eyes fluttered open. He slid his hand into the water beside her and stirred it, barely grazing her side.

Rose inhaled deeply and it was as if she was in some exotic garden surrounded by the scents of jasmine mixed with something spicy like ginger or cinnamon. "Mmmmm, that's lovely," she murmured, smiling and as she stretched her leg out breaking the foamy surface of the water.

"Like that do you?" he asked his mouth close to her ear and his breath tickling her just the slightest bit.

"Yeah, kind of surprised you have something this nice here."

He pocketed his sonic and dipped both his arms into the water on either side of her, swirling his hands beneath the surface, cupping the water, bringing it to the surface and allowing it to slip through his fingers, splashing back down. Rose's smile brightened.

"Having fun?" she asked turning her head on the side to look at him.

He just cocked an eyebrow at her and reached for another bottle he had sitting on the floor.

"And what's that for?" she asked.

"Told you, you deserve a bit of pampering. Now, dunk," he ordered with a peculiar look in his eyes.

Rose furrowed her brow. "What?"

He rolled his eyes. "Under the water, dunk. You know, as in submerse yourself so you are…wet," he said with the slightest innuendo.

She stared at him for a moment unable to believe he had just said that. If she didn't know better, she'd have sworn he just flirted with her. But there was no tiny smirk, no quirk or waggle of an eyebrow. Instead he sighed impatiently and the familiar glare returned to his face. "It's not that difficult of a concept," he bit out.

Rose didn't understand why he was being this way but she shouldn't be surprised. It was probably his version of pampering her, by ordering her about. Still, it wasn't worth arguing with him so she held her nose and sank beneath the water and then sat back up dripping water.

"Happy?" she asked with a defiant tilt of her chin.

He grunted and poured a cool liquid on top of her head. Shivering, she was just about to protest when he started massaging her scalp and hair. Once again, he surprised her. "You…you don't have to do that," she stuttered out even as she enjoyed the firm press of his fingers working in slow circles through her hair. She leaned back into his touch.

"Told you," he said and paused, looking down to watch her reaction as she relaxed into his ministrations, her pink lips slightly parted as if she was about to moan in pleasure and with that bump to his ego, he continued with his typical arrogant attitude. "You deserve a bit of pampering and besides, you were smelling a bit too…human," he said softly with a hint of insult.

Rose softly huffed. She knew she should be insulted but couldn't help but smile. It was so him and besides, having him wash her hair like this felt good and he was right, she did deserve something nice like this.

The Doctor soon worked up a good lather and the floral scent mixed with that of the bubble bath once again transported her away. She moaned slightly as he caressed her, pressing down strategically on certain spots on her scalp and gliding his fingers across her temples, behind her ears and spending time massaging her neck. He never spoke but Rose was very aware that something in the air between them had changed. There was a heightened awareness that may have been fuelled by her imagining his long talented fingers tangled in her hair gliding down to other more needy places.

He leaned in close to her ear, the slight scruff on his cheek brushed against her flushed skin eliciting a shiver of delight as he softly instructed her to dunk. This time she complied without question and when she rose out of the water, she leaned back toward him with her eyes closed. He wrapped his arms around her and began gliding a soft sponge over her shoulder and down her arm. She opened her closed eyes in surprise and looked over at him. His eyes were dark and Rose felt a bit lost in them as if she couldn't look away. She wasn't sure what she wanted to say in that moment. The soft intimacy between had evolved with each gentle stroke of the sponge from a blushing glow to a searing sexual tension.

She placed a hand over his as he trailed the sponge up her back and over her other shoulder. "Seems ab it unfair," she finally said.

He raised an eye brow. "I thought we agreed you deserved pampering."

She smiled softly and nodded. "Yeah but maybe you do too."

He didn't look like he believed her. "Don't be…"

"You do!" she insisted interrupting what she was sure to be some declaration that he was a superior being that didn't need such things. She pried the sponge out of his fingers. "I say you do. You've kept me safe, my mum safe and figured out what's happening to me even though that meant you had to remember hard things. Besides, you smell a bit…" she paused and wrinkled her nose. "Most definitely not human-y." She pinched her nose. "Honestly, a little bit rancid."

His jaw dropped and he leaned down to sniff his shoulder. "I do not!"

"Enough," she laughed and threw the wet sponge at him. "In the tub with you."

He swallowed hard as he watched the water, which now had less bubbles then before, slosh around the tub revealing bits of bare Rose previously hidden from him. He felt that possessive feeling, the want and need for her, creep up to the surface and the look he directed at her burned with it

Rose felt heat spark in her as she felt his gaze take her in. The lap of the water against her breasts combined with how he was almost piercing the water to see her nude body beneath made her unconsciously rubber her legs together. She licked her lips nervously. "Go on then, let's get you cleaned up."

He smirked and quickly whipped off his dress shirt, undershirt, trousers and pants, not the least bit shy. Rose, on the other hand, turned away, blushing deeply. He walked over to the side of the tub and she looked up at him, all of him. She gulped.

He stood before her, the golden light revealing his pale freckled skin with a light scattering of dark hair down his chest. Rose couldn't help but admire his tall lean figure, slightly defined abs and slim hips. It was easy to see why ancient humans saw his kind as gods. She sank down until the water rose up to her chin as her gaze lowered and she took in every detail of his sex. She didn't know what she was expecting but it wasn't for him to look like a human male – her breathe rippled across the water – and what a human male he was. Her lips quirked up into a slight smile as she pondered how pleasing and satisfying his member would be. .

"See something you like?" he asked, with a slight husky growl. . He stood proud before her, hiding nothing of his body. He almost looked a bit cocky. She couldn't let that stand.

"You look so…human," she said, wrapping her lips around the words and shooting him a flirtatious look as she sat in the cooling bath water.

"No, you look like us," he corrected her and stared at her in the water as if he could see beneath the sheen of bubbles still floating on the surface of the bath to see her submersed body.

Rose smiled at him not sure where this was leading but willing to play along. She couldn't deny her attraction to him although she was still unsure how far she would let things progress. He was still him, different, not human and she wasn't sure who she was anymore. The one thing she did know was that she had to protect her heart. Falling in love with him would be foolish. He was vast, powerful, arrogant, and angry at the universe. Not to mention a complete git. Still, he had his finer moments and it was those moments that called out to her and showed that maybe he was worth a little heartbreak. She fought this internal battle for a few moments before she decided to let things play out.

"You gonna stand there all day or get in. The water's not gonna be warm forever," she announced, still enjoying the view.

He snorted in amusement, climbed into the tub and slowly lowered himself into the water. He reached over the side for his sonic screwdriver and placed the blue glowing tip in the water. Seconds later, Rose felt the temperature in the water rise as a current of warm water surrounded her. He set his device outside the tub and shot her another heated look with a bit of challenge to it and slowly dipped beneath the water, rising up to his knees a few moments later and ran his hands through his hair.

Rose felt her breath catch as she watched droplets of water clinging to his eyelashes splash down to his chest and drizzle back into the bath water. The air became thick with tension as their eyes met again. It was a competition to see who would break first. He sat in the water, hands gripping the side of the tub like Neptune rising from the depths of the ocean challenging her to some sort of duel. And it was a duel of sorts she mused. Only, this was far more dangerous. Normally, he was the one in charge, leading her about, lecturing to her or raging about something, but now he was silent except for his dark gaze, which seared her with its intensity. Perhaps this was just another way for him to intimidate her, coerce her into complying with his wishes. But, what were his wishes? Judging by how he was looking at her and the heat pooling within her, she was sure she knew.

It was time to test him. She moved forward in the bath water rising up slightly and lifting one of her hands from the water and running the tips of her fingers over one of his sideburns. "Seems only fair I give you a bit of washing," she said, her voice a bit deeper and strained.

A sexy quirk of his mouth that was almost a smile lit his face. "I'm all about fair," he answered and reached over the side and handed her a bottle with caramel coloured liquid in it.

"Are you?" she asked as she grasped the bottle, her fingers brushing against his.

He couldn't help the smile that lit his face. "Oh yes, all is fair in love and war. That's what the humans say."

"Love and war," she repeated with an arched brow as she poured the thick gel like liquid into her hands and wondering if that was his way of defining the two of them. She set the bottle down over the side of the tub and looked back at him. He sat there, sitting up tall, knowing she'd have to rise from the water, exposing herself in order to reach his head. It was a challenge and she was not going to back down.

She emerged from the water, her breasts dripping and flushed from the warmth of the bath. She shifted closer to him lifting her arms to reach for his head not caring that he now had quite the view of her chest. He leaned into her bowing his head ever so slightly, his gaze directed on her full and voluptuous breasts. He licked his lips as he gazed down at her thinking that she was curved in all the right places. He felt lust flood his veins and heated thoughts like how he'd like to cradle her in his hands, his mouth enveloping the pink softness of those sweet mounds of flesh and how she'd taste as he laved and nipped at her until she sweetly moaned for him. He may be old and had repressed such primitive feelings for a long while but he still remembered them.

Her nails gently grazed his scalp as she lathered his hair causing him to lean further into her evidencing his enjoyment of her touch. As she slid her fingers through his hair, he was immersed in her scent, her obvious arousal was intoxicating to him. He could almost taste her pheromones and feel the heat radiating off her body and combined with his awareness of how her breathing seemed to hitch as he pressed forward toward her, it stoked his libido and made him want to cross established lines of intimacy.

It wasn't just primitive sensory stimulation that caused him to feel this way. It was far more than warm water lapping at their nude bodies, the casual movement of her breasts as she trailed her fingers through his hair and down his neck, or the erogenous way she massaged and washed him. He could feel an energy dancing between them that he only now realized had always been there. It pulled at both of them. His mind inventoried each of their encounters, her challenging him, smiling, crying, worrying and standing up for herself and them. Then there was that subtle song of her mind and what lay within her beckoning him like a siren luring a sailor onto a rocky shore. He realized even if this thing between them led to his ruin or demise he didn't care. It was worth it. What they were together was worth a bit of suffering or any other price he had to pay.

Rose had never thought bathing to be erotic until this moment. She remembered how decadent it felt to have his hands in her hair and sliding over her shoulders and now she was experiencing it from his perspective and found it even more intoxicating. There was something powerful and sexual about the way her fingers slid through the strands of his hair and the way they were intertwined with each other whilst bathing and yet barely touching. The way his hot breath puffed at her wet skin as she washed his hair was almost as good as the fantasy she was indulging in about his tongue and how he could use his mouth on her. When he uttered a low rumbling moan, she almost responded in kind.

Her nails dug into him a bit more forcefully and he gripped the sides of the tub as if trying to hold himself back. A thrill shot through her. She had done this, made him feel this way and something unfurled inside of her, a feminine power that in this way, she bested him. He groaned her name and hesitantly she eased her fingers down his neck and shoulders, coming to rest on his hands setting on the rim of the tub. He raised his head and his jaw was clenched. They were almost knee to knee and she could practically feel heat radiating off him. Rose wasn't sure if anyone had ever looked at her with such hunger before. The sheer danger of him, what he could do to her, fuelled her own want as a slickness built between her thighs that had nothing to do with the warm bath water.

"Dunk," she stuttered out. He moved slowly, his fingers sliding out from beneath her hands whilst almost caressing her in a delicate and sensual movement. Rose gripped the sides of the tub, shifted backward, splaying her knees upright to make room for his tall frame to submerge. She gasped when she felt the tickle of his hair on her inner thighs as he rose up from the water. When he sat up, he wiped the water from his face and moved toward her pinning her against the opposite side of the tub, his hands gripping the rim on either side of her shoulders, she felt her heart beat faster.

"Are you…are you gonna seduce me now?" she asked her voice tentative and she bit her lip in what he would consider a provocative manner. Part of her hoped he said yes and part of her wanted to just take what she wanted.

He leaned in until they were almost touching, water dripping from him onto her as his dark eyes bored into her. "If I wanted to seduce you, we'd be pounding the water out of this tub and christening every surface in this little abode," he promised with an arrogant assuredness and wicked glint in his eye. "And I wouldn't need to disguise myself as shimmering gold cloud or a swan to do that," he promised, leaning further into her, his lips barely brushing hers.

Rose pushed herself up and leaned into him, her tongue darting out to test and taste him. He pressed further into her, one hand dipping into the water and sliding up her back until he cradled her neck. Rose's mind went blank as the kiss progressed from subtle licks and nibbles to sucking his bottom lip into her mouth and feeling his tongue glide against her own. It was clear he knew what he was doing. Rose wrapped her arms around him and he pulled her tight against his chest until her knees wrapped around his hips and they enjoyed a long languid snog. Rose couldn't deny her desire or how her pebbled breasts felt against the coarse hair on his chest.

When he pulled away, she almost whimpered. "Seduction implies one who deliberately entices another person or leads them astray to persuade to engage in sexual behaviour." He slid his hands down to her waste, his thumbs caressing her hip bones. "I'm not going to seduce you, Rose Tyler. I don't have to. Things will happen between you and I because they are inevitable and because we both make it happen…together."

The sheer sound of his voice as he discussed seduction and the way his tongue moved in his mouth was enough to melt her but hearing him talk about the two of them coming together…it nearly made her spontaneously combust. It occurred to her that he was really good if just his words and a few careful strokes made her feel this way. She needed to get more control over this situation.

"We…we should get out of the bath…before we prune," she finally said, hesitating as she spoke and flinching at the word _prune_ as it wasn't exactly the sexiest thing she could have said.

"We mustn't have that," he murmured, looking amused and stood up, helping her up at the same time. Once again, Rose couldn't help but admire his narrow hips and well-muscled physique. He stepped out of the bath tub and then helped lift her out. He led her over to the cabinet off to the side where he pulled out several enormous fluffy white towels while Rose admired his very tight and toned arse. He turned with a knowing look, as if he'd felt her gaze on his bum and then began slowly towelling her off, taking his time rubbing the towel over the curve of her arse and down each leg pausing at the apex of her thighs and looking up at her with another of his steamy looks. He leaned in closer and inhaled his nose brushing her curls and leaned over to nuzzle one of her thighs.

Rose felt herself flush and bit her lip trying not to groan or grab his head and show him exactly where she wanted him. That would be like surrendering and she wasn't ready for that. Not yet. When he rose up, she reached around him for one of the towels and began to rub it over his hips and chest. As she lowered to towel off more sensitive areas, he grabbed her wrist and yanked her toward him. Her breath caught as she felt her skin prickle with that undefinable current that ran between then.

"Rose," he growled out. "I need to hear you say it."

She realized then how much he was holding back and how much control he was exerting over himself. He may look human but he really wasn't and he was far more aroused than she first suspected judging by the tension in his body and how his nostrils flared as he shot her searing looks. Rose looked into his eyes and was as if she could feel the ebb and flow of life around them, the spinning of the Earth beneath her feet and the pull of time and the universe. Power flowed through her into him and from him to her and it added another layer to her desire for him. It was like the conservatory when she felt this thing inside of her unfurl and reach out to him only this time it wasn't for some battle or to stop him from unleashing destruction. This time it was about pleasure and the need to feel him in her and around her.

It was another sensation to her like touch, taste or scent and she wanted all of that with him. There was a longing in her to feel him shudder at her touch, to lose control as she ran her tongue over his body, to slide herself over him and feel him inside of her. His hands tightened on her and he pulled her tight against his chest as he clenched his jaw and his forehead rested against hers, his eyes almost boring into her. "Tell me!" he commanded.

A slow seductive smile lit her face and she slid her arms around him and her hands danced up his back and tangled in his damp hair. "Tell you what? That you're powerful and a raging storm on this world? That maybe I've changed 'cos of you? Maybe, you want to hear that you make my knickers wet?" She wrapped a leg around his and drew her toes up his calf in emphasis. "Or, maybe I don't think you're the angry git you pretend to be, that I see the man underneath and he is…" She paused. "He's worth the universe," she finished in a husky voice. "My Doctor is worth any of the monsters we have to face out there. He's my friend, a pain in my arse, my protector, who I want to protect and the one that I…I want." She closed her eyes and inhaled before opening them revealing twinkling golden lights shining in their depths. "Mmmm, I do want him," she purred. Her hands tightened on his hair pulling it painfully and he growled in response.

They slammed their mouths together hungrily. Teeth clashed and nipped at one another. Hair was tugged and nails bit into flesh. One of his hands gripped her arse squeezing and pressing her to his now hardened length. She mewled as she rubbed up against him, wanting friction and so much more. With a groan he lifted her up and she wrapped her legs tightly around his hips and he moved them to his bed in another room. The entire way they groaned, snogging and clinging to one another, enjoying the feel of skin on skin contact and feeling pulled toward each other in more ways than just physically.

He fell sideways on the bed and rolled over on top of her pressing his hips into her, his forearms on either side of her shoulders and looked down at her with a commanding stare. "I want all of you."

She gazed back at him. "And you, you gonna give me all of you?" she asked as she tugged at his hair and trailed her finger tips down his neck.

"I can't," he answered, his voice breaking.

She twisted suddenly, throwing him off balance and straddled him. He looked up at her surprised but not unhappy. His hands gripped her hips hard enough that there would be bruises later. "Don't toy with me. I'll win," he promised darkly.

She ran her fingers up and down his erection before leaning up over him, laying a hand on his shoulder and clawing her nails into him. "Will you?" she asked with a tongue teasing smile. "You think you can command me to give you everything with nothing in return?"

He barked out a laugh. "Oh she thinks I'm some pathetic human male just after my own," he recited, staring at the ceiling before directing his searing gaze at her. "You've never been truly bedded until you've been thoroughly shagged inside and out by someone who can feel what you feel and knows how to find all those delicious nerve clusters that when stimulated, make you scream."

She laughed at him and scraped her nails down his chest leaving red marks and causing him to gasp and arch up into her. "You think you're so impressive," she teased as her fingers encircled his rigid member and caressed him up and down dancing over the sensitive tip which she knew he would enjoy.

"I know I am and soon you will toooooo," he gasped as she quickly slid backwards down his body and enveloped his erection in her warm moist mouth. He cursed and his hands fisted the duvet beneath him. She hummed as her hot mouth and tongue moved up and down causing him to arch his hips. His mind was filled with a pounding beat of music as if she was vibrating her power through him. It was beyond anything he'd felt and he wanted more. He gasped, "Fuck, Rose! Yes!" He groaned and focused his mind on her intent on delving into her consciousness and pulsing his feelings through her.

Rose enjoyed having him at her mercy, feeling him hot and hard in her mouth with a slight taste of salt mixed with the sweet and spicy taste of bubble bath clinging to his skin. She swirled her tongue around him and felt his body arch up again as she rested a hand on his hip, pressing her nails slightly into him while her other hand wrapped around the base of his hardened member. She'd never been particularly fond of oral but with him, it was different. She enjoyed knowing she had power over this godlike being and that in this way he was like her. He craved pleasure and physical contact. He wanted her and she enjoyed that, enjoyed being wanted.

Warmth flooded her body and mind and she felt him, begging entrance into her. She released him with a pop and looked back into his eyes. This wasn't just the Doctor, this was the man that made a covenant with the muses, the one who wanted to destroy his people to save them and the universe. Gazing into his dark eyes was like looking into the very essence of the universe. It was terrifying and invigorating and she wanted it, wanted him.

In a breath, he flipped them over and like a predator stalking its prey, he was on her, his mouth latched onto her neck leaving her whimpering as he marked her. From there his mouth trailed down her body, sucking and nipping until he reached her breasts. He paused, his hot breath puffing on her nipple until, with great enjoyment, he enveloped her rosy bud with his warm mouth and tugged as his fingers delved between her parted thighs, sliding through her slick folds. It was her turn to arch into him. She gripped his hair as his mouth continued descending down her body. He paused to gently nip at her right inner thigh as he splayed her legs apart and licked her in one languorous swipe of his tongue. Soon, his lips encircled that sweet bundle of nerves as his fingers plunged inside of her swirling to find that one spot that would leave her screaming. He was just as talented with his tongue as she imagined, darting down and laving her until she screamed and felt herself falling into a warm golden abyss.

When she opened her eyes he was hovering over her face, a new look in his eyes, curious, wanting and still demanding more. He rested his forehead against hers. "Rose," he groaned and that was all it took. She wrapped herself around him physically as well as telepathically. They were lost in the place in between. Physical and metaphysical worlds married as she felt him slip himself inside of her. She gasped as she felt his hardness, fill and stretch her. There was tension as he held back and she bit into his shoulder knowing this was more than him pausing physically.

She needed him to fit her and fill her in every way and yet part of her retreated. Deep in her mind was a place neither of them could reach. A voice echoed _not yet_. But Rose still needed him, needed to feel him, his mind, his strength, the good and the terrible surging through her. She felt her heals digging into his tight arse and gasped his name. He let out a groan that she swore reverberated through her entire body and each and every nerve ending setting her on fire. Her hips met him as he thrust into her. He let go of some of his control and slammed his flesh against hers causing her to cry out in pleasure. Every stroke of him sliding inside of her made her want more.

She cursed as she felt herself building toward an orgasm, as sweat slicked her skin, flesh slapped against flesh and their minds intertwined around one another in some erotic dance, sliding against one another, tendrils of power encircling as memories of them and who they were joined. His grunts became louder and he demanded more, begging her to let him in. Soon, it was like they were the heart of a storm and lightening crashed around them, their bodies moving together in desperation until one final thrust she screamed in satisfaction and the universe shuddered around them as he spilled his essence into her.

Both collapsed sated and satisfied, breathing heavy and their limbs tangled up in one another. He wrapped his arms tightly around her holding her to his chest and trembled slightly. What had just come to pass was no simple shagging. He had felt them entwine in ways no normal mortals ever could or he ever could with a simple mortal being. He knew he should be afraid at the power between them and what they were capable of but right then he couldn't. For the first time in centuries he was feeling peace. She had given him that. He caressed her and she mumbled something incoherent into his chest, something she shouldn't even know, his native language. He shut his eyes tight knowing this was only the beginning to what was coming and he was afraid. He couldn't lose her, not now and he didn't know if the time came for him to choose between the universe or her, that he could let her go.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains a reference to a character in the TV series Angel. I loved Lorne and the whole concept of the Host and his club. Thus, I have created a bit of a parallel with the character Arthur and borrowed the brilliant concept of the karoake club:) Thanks to Licieoic for the idea regarding making the song a duet :) Of course, I own none of this nor the song referenced:)

Rose awakened alone in bed and twinging in places that hadn't had such a vigorous work out ever. A smile lit her face as she thought about how insatiable he was. She stretched and buried her face in the pillows inhaling his scent. She felt different. She and the Doctor had crossed a line. Nothing would be the same between them. It wasn't just bodies that met that night. It was an intertwining of minds and more.

Rose didn't understand the full extent of what they shared but knew it had far reaching impact on both their lives. She had seen a bit more of the passionate man behind the dark, angry countenance he wore every day trying to keep not just the world, but the universe at a distance. Her instincts screamed at her that now he had crossed that once almost impenetrable line he created to keep himself closed off, he could no longer keep himself separate and isolated from the ebb and flow of life around him and especially not isolated from her. She looked over toward one of the plate glass windows lining the loft space to see his shadowed form highlighted against the dim and dreary light. He was nude and looking out over the grey dismal city seemingly lost in thought, or perhaps he was just meditating.

She slipped out of bed, shivering slightly at the cool air and walked up to him, bumping her head casually against his arm. He turned to her "Rose, I…"

"You don't have to say anything," she said softly. "Think you said and showed me last night."

He sighed and slipped an arm around her waist, tugging her gently toward him. "We can't stay here."

"I know," she answered quietly. "But we can't just run either."

He turned and looked at her. "No," he agreed and once again he was impressed with her grasp of things that would elude most humans. He held her tighter to him as a part of him felt responsible for laying the burden of a universal catastrophe on her. Another, more selfish part, felt relief mixed with a certain contentment that he wasn't alone and he finally had another living being to share not just his responsibilities and concerns but also the joys and wonder he found around him. He concluded he was indeed a selfish bastard.

"Anesidora," she mumbled into his chest before looking up at him. "You keep saying that to me like I should know it but I don't. The word doesn't mean anything but…"

"But what?" he asked, feeling strong emotions welling up inside of him, wanting to protect her but knowing so much depended on both of them solving who and what Anesidora was.

"When you say it, I feel something sort of quivering inside of me. It's like it touches something and that something tucks itself away further and deeper into the shadows. I think it's dangerous and it knows it."

He held her tighter to him again before sighing and looking out over the city. "Of course it's dangerous," he said with a hard tone. "Those witches wouldn't make it nice or easy. Saving the universe tends to be dirty, nasty work. I don't suppose you've noticed anything else other than some all-powerful entity twitching around in your mind," he said sarcastically, his darker personality quirks rearing their head.

She shoved back from him. "You're the one pushing for this Anesidora but don't know anything about her or it or whatever. It's not like you're any help!" She turned away from him. "And, maybe there is something more," she ended softly, staring at the floor and thinking it was time to get dressed.

The Doctor tried to calm himself and not get annoyed. None of this was Rose's fault. "I'm…I'm sorry. Of course you're doing your best. I'm frustrated with the whole bloody thing and…"

Rose looked up at him and smiled softly, wrapping her arms around him again. "It's okay Doctor. I know you care. I care for you too, very much. I've never felt this way about anyone before. I just wish we could figure it out."

He gazed down at her, his dark eyes twinkling with some energy which pricked at Rose's skin making her shiver. She reached up and cupped his cheek and he leaned into her. "I'm not gonna leave you, ya know," she said firmly. He may be an all-powerful alien who had lived for centuries but she could see the loneliness and an almost resignation that he was doomed to lose her. She hated that and felt such a connection to him that the thought of losing him, hurt her too. There was a steely resolve in her to not let that happen. They were part of each other now.

He turned and kissed her palm before looking down into her eyes. "You can't promise that," he warned, a slight growl to his voice.

Rose smiled seductively, her eyes sparkling with bits of gold. "Yeah, I can actually. I feel it. I feel what we are together and what we will be. I know we have important things ahead of us, twists and turns in time, hard decisions that may hurt but we do them together."

He yanked her hard against him and slammed his mouth against hers. He wanted that to be true, so badly did he want that to be true. The sceptic in him didn't believe it. The universe was cruel. That was a fact. He would fight for her though. She made him feel things long since buried, made him want to live and face off against that piss poor universe and stand his ground. She was deeply embedded into the core of him and was the beginning and ending and what he believed in most.

As he moaned into her mouth, drawing her time into him, feeling their minds touch and caressing her softly and intimately as only a lover could, he caught a glimpse of something flashing in her mind. He pulled away and looked at her confused. "What the hell was that?" he demanded, his brow furrowed at the image of a neon sign he'd glimpsed.

She smiled. "Saw that did ya? I think it's a sign."

"Well of course it was a bloody sign! It was neon and garish and ohhhh tell me it's not literal."

"Well," she mumbled biting her lip, her eyes lost in thought. "I think it was. I mean I don't recognize it but maybe I saw it somewhere and that's just this Anesidora's way of giving us a hint."

He sighed and tugged at his hair starting to pace. "Oh no," he muttered. "No, no, no." He winced and really started gripping at his hair, his bare feet slapping against the cold wooden floor. He glanced over at her with a supreme look of annoyance on his head. "Bloody metaphysical beings!"

"What? You know what it is?"

"Yes!" he said in a biting grumpy voice. "Get dressed. Might as well get this over with."

Rose watched as he stormed over and picked up his clothes muttering in several languages including English about _pain the arse seers_ , _singing_ and _things coming back to bite me on the arse_. Rose went over to her duffel bag and picked out jeans and a top when he shouted out for her to "dress nice."

She looked over at him with an arched brow. Of all the things he'd ask her to do, dress nice was not one of them. She reached in for her black jeans and a black halter top which was about as nice as she had. When she looked up, he was in a fresh suit but still topped with his long brown coat. He pulled a necklace out of his pocket. It was silver with three interlocking circles embedded with three amber stones that almost had a swirling vortex at their centre. He affixed the necklace on her which dangled perfectly in her cleavage. He stood back looked her up and down, arching a brow at her trainers.

"Oi! It's all I have! We were running!" He sighed and grabbed her hand pulling her out, telling her not to worry about her things. It was a quick trip across the city with a stop at a store where he bought her a long grey coat and some black boots, shoving her trainers in his pockets. Rose was stunned at their shopping stop and not just because he bought her things but because he was that concerned with how she looked. It made her wonder about where exactly they were going.

Of course, it wasn't a completely uneventful trip. There was a minor incident whilst Rose was trying on boots. The Doctor had disappeared and at first Rose assumed he was just bored. She should have known better and especially given the loud banging noises she heard from a back room in the shoe department. She had assumed it was boxes falling. When the Doctor casually strolled out of said back room with a satisfied smirk on his face, she was sure he had done something. As they walked down the street, her in her new boots and coat, she shot him an expectant look.

"What?" he snapped.

"Something happened back there at the shop."

"Yes, I spoiled you with new things," he said with an arrogant tilt to his chin.

"Spoiled me?" Rose asked, her voicing pitching up. "That's a bit rich considering half my stuff gets ruined 'cos of you. And don't go trying to change the subject," she interjected as she watched him about to go off into some lecture about how none of this was his fault.

"I heard you in the back room at the shoe department. Something was banging around and then you strutted out looking all smug like. What did you do?"

"Why do you always assume I did something?" he snipped. "Maybe it was some clumsy salesman, tripping all over himself to procure you your new boots?"

Rose shot him an annoyed look. "Boots you insisted I have, now spill."

He shot a dark look at her. "There was a less than friendly Shrakarian pretending to be a shoe clerk. He and his people seem to find you a danger to all time and space." He looked off in the distance, a shadow crossing his face. "They fancy themselves universal pest control, ridding the universe of anything they fear. And, on Earth, my world! If there was anything that dangerous here, I would see to it. They should know better."

Rose's pace slowed. "So you…you dealt with him or them. I mean, will they be back?" she asked slowly.

He shoved his hands in the pockets of his long coat. "I sent a message."

Rose stopped in her tracks. "What sort of message?"

He turned to her, a look of arrogance with a hint of dark menace reflected in his eyes. "Earth is mine and I will see to its fate. Things are changing and what was lost will be found and perhaps if they'd like to survive, they'll mind their own business…elsewhere."

He reached for her hand and tugged her forward. She allowed him to pull her along as he retreated into himself and one of his typical foul moods. Rose couldn't be bothered to worry about him. She was more concerned about these Shrakarians and how they considered her a danger to the universe. What if it was true? What if what was inside of her really could hurt people and the Doctor was ignoring it so he could get his people back? Then she had another thought as his hand tightened around hers. What if his feelings for her were such that he was protecting her when he shouldn't be.

"Stop it," he said in a quiet firm voice as he pulled her down a narrow alley. A fine mist began to fall almost in reaction to Rose's mood as the Doctor guided her deeper into the dimly lit alley.

"Stop what?" she finally asked him even though she wasn't really paying attention to anything other than her own doubts about herself.

"You and I share a tentative telepathic bond. I may not be privy to your every thought but I can sense when you are…distressed."

Rose pulled him to a stop and he shot her another annoyed look. "Since when?" she demanded.

A self-satisfied smile emerged on his face. "Since we engaged in intimate behaviour, sex and the telepathic equivalent of the best shag you've ever had which it was," he said whilst preening and looking pleased.

Rose smacked his arm. "You didn't tell me that we'd be connected this way and I never said you were the best I ever had," she shot back, a blush staining her cheek.

He sidled up to her as she wrapped her arms around herself and looked off down the alley. He leaned in close to her ear as he enveloped her in his energy and his own alien essence. "But it was. The two of us, we fit. Every part of us, every kiss, nip, caress; every moment my hand clasps with yours…" He slid an arm around her and rested his other hand on hers as she still huddled into herself. "Every nuzzle, hug and joining of our bodies and yes our minds too, we are compatible on a level humans wouldn't understand." He moved his hand to her chin and turned her head so that she was gazing into his eyes. There was none of the earlier arrogance. All she saw was her passionate Doctor tinged with a bit of possessive over protectiveness and…love.

"Human poets often write prose describing what you and I have as something unobtainable in its perfection. Not that you and I are perfect, but what we share together could come close. It is more than a matter of feeling good being with you, wrapping my body around yours or nestling into your mind to be close to you, the real Rose, who you are on the inside. So much is happening, you are changing in ways you never imagined but Rose, your essence is still you. Despite everything that is happening, you are still Rose and I'm glad for that because Rose Tyler is brilliant." He straightened up. "I mean for a human. And well, we shag beyond brilliant. I could write sonnets about the heights of pleasure we enjoy and crossing the orgasmic thresholds most could never dare to achieve."

Rose rolled her eyes. He looked back at her and then his smile faded. "You are not dangerous to the universe, Rose. You aren't. I would know if you were."

"You followed me after we first met. Was it 'cos you were thinking I was dangerous?" she asked softly.

"No, of course not," he answered without hesitation. "I was fascinated by you. You reminded me a bit of my people. You were a puzzle and time, it loves you and I had to know more. I was drawn to you and am still drawn to you but for entirely different reasons."

She looked up at him and blinked a few times before smiling. He stared at her, deep into her and Rose felt it and wasn't afraid. That is when she learned that as he sensed her emotions, she sensed his and what she sensed thrilled her and made her heart beat just a little harder. They did more than share their bodies and minds the previous night and now she knew it for certain.

"Enough with the domestics. Come on!" he eventually groused and grabbed her hand again pulling her along. Rose felt they had reached another understanding between them. Although, as they walked, there was still a slight worry hovering in her mind but it was eclipsed by the joy and happiness she felt at knowing he cared for her, more than cared for her. Before she could analyse these feelings more, he guided her into a much narrower alley until they approached a bright blue neon sign for _Sanctorum_ just like the image that flashed in her mind.

He helped her down a narrow staircase as if heading for the basement of the building. She looked at him quizzically. "Just follow my lead, be confident and don't touch or agree to anything. This place is a bit dodgy."

They opened the dingy grey door and it was like entering another world. As Rose's eyes adjusted to the dim interior, she was enveloped by the soft sound of _Unforgettable_ pulsing through what Rose could see was an underground club of some sort. There was a scent of some exotic spicy perfume mixed with a touch of ale or something she attributed to pubs in the air and a comforting tinkle of glasses mixed with the murmur of people talking in low tones set a friendly ambiance. The Doctor guided her further into the club which had an industrial feel to it. The walls were brick or concrete reflecting the blue glow of the lights shining down from the ceiling. It was dotted with a few round tables dressed with white table cloths but there were other more intimate low to the ground seating areas where people were gathered talking and drinking. Rose paused as she looked at the people again. The word _people_ was taking on a new meaning as the beings which occupied the seats were not entirely human. In fact, her breath caught as she realized most of them, although humanoid, were entirely different species.

"Rose," the Doctor prompted, gently tugging at her arm.

She looked at him, the blue glow of the lights, giving his face and eyes an otherworldly look. "They're aliens."

He looked toward the lounge area and then back to her. "Yep! This is sort of neutral territory, a place where those visiting this planet can be themselves without worries of any conflicts in the outside world."

"And you knew this place existed? I mean you're always going on about aliens not having your permission to be here."

He shifted and looked unhappy. "Yes, well Arthur had my permission to open this place. He serves a purpose and it's not like I can go around tossing every alien off Earth. Blimey, if I did that, it would take up all my time and frankly, I don't want to. This lot is harmless enough and if any get out of line, I'll deal with them and they know that. Arthur makes sure of it."

"And Arthur is?" Rose asked

"Doctor," a male voice purred nearby. "So good to see you and it's been far too long."

The Doctor winced and looked over Rose's shoulder. Rose turned and her mouth dropped a bit. Off to her left was a tall, green skinned alien with green spikes all over his head dressed in a tailored aubergine coloured suit, lighter matching dress shirt with a bright yellow tie that matched the golden brown of his eyes. He smiled a somewhat feral grin at her.

The Doctor leaned into Rose. "This is Arthur, he's a Vinvocci and host of this delightful little club."

"And who is this scrumpdilicious female you have graced my humble establishment with?" Arthur asked as he gave Rose a once over.

"This is Rose. She's mine. Hands off."

Rose shot the doctor a surprised look before turning back to Arthur. "Um yeah, I'm Rose. It's nice to meet you, Arthur. It's a lovely club you have here."

Arthur laughed. "Why thank you lovely flower but do tell Arthur what such a sweet creature like yourself is doing with dark and stormy here. Not that he doesn't have his finer attributes…"

Rose snickered and the Doctor intervened. "We're looking for information."

"And you came to me!" Arthur said with glee. "Well, well look who was right and who…" He paused and poked the Doctor in the chest. "was wrong when he professed he could handle everything all on his lonesome. Maybe you'll start and give Arthur a bit more credit before shooting down advice." He looked over at Rose before shooting the Doctor a sly look. "I do love it when I'm right."

"Enough!" the Doctor snipped, looking impatient and glaring at two short brown furred aliens that looked like giant teddy bears to Rose. Said aliens, upon realizing they were the recipient of his glares, sunk down low as if the very force of his gaze was painful.

"Yes, enough is quite right," Arthur said with no more posh words or purring tone. "No scaring the patrons, remember?"

The Doctor sighed and looked petulant. Rose stepped in. "Look, Arthur, sorry to barge in and we don't want any trouble but we do need some advice. We've got a bit of puzzle we need help with and may have gotten a small hint that we could get help solving it here."

"And when she says puzzle, think universal ending calamity," the Doctor added.

Arthur looked seriously at the Doctor for a moment and then at Rose and paused when he looked at her. "You know how it works, Doctor," he finally said with a hint of a smile.

The Doctor winced and looked up at the ceiling before back at their host. "Arthur, we don't have time for this," he practically moaned. "This isn't your typical apocalyptic type thing. It involves…"

"Drinks!" Arthur announced, interrupting him. "Sunny darling!" he called over to a waitress who Rose realized was a cat person. She was a person sized grey tabby cat that walked on two legs and wore a black cocktail dress. Her face was feline and she had green eyes and a small cat like mouth.

"Sunny, be a dear and escort my special guests to my private table."

Sunny practically meowed at him and led them to a table. The Doctor was not happy. After they were seated, he ordered for them, two Pooshian Moons, and proceeded to glower as he looked around the room.

"Doctor, you said not to agree to anything. I mean, are the drinks safe?" she asked as their waitress, Sunny, set down two tall glasses filled with what looked like milk with a pink umbrella and cherries on top.

The Doctor sipped from one of the cocktails, swirling it around in his mouth and then passed the glass to her. "It's safe to drink." He then slid the other glass toward himself.

Rose sniffed it and took a sip. "I don't taste any alcohol. What's in it?"

He took a long sip of his drink and smacked his lips. "Oh you know, Milk, a shot of banana essence and a bit of Pooshian fizz pop liqueur."

Rose arched a brow at him and took another sip. She still couldn't taste liquor and those tended to be the most dangerous drinks in her opinion. "So when Arthur said you knew the drill, what did he mean?"

The Doctor grimaced and Arthur appeared next to her, elegantly collapsing into a chair. "What the lord of all dark and grumpy is trying to say is he doesn't generally participate in my kind of assistance. You see, sweet cheeks, I read auras, take a peek into destinies and potentials and the best way to do that is to see you when you're vulnerable and your soul shines through."

"Soul shines through? What rubbish!" the Doctor exclaimed with a sarcastic snort.

Arthur just smiled and looked at the Doctor. "He's not a believer and yet he still pops by for a drink." Arthur leaned into Rose. "Honestly, with the way he complains and yet keeps coming back, I thought he had a thing for me."

Rose looked from the Doctor to Arthur, a trace of a smile quirking her lips. Arthur laughed. "Don't worry, petunia, he's not my type and even without a proper read, it's clear he's taken and in a "don't touch the blonde" kind of way." Arthur gave her a knowing look. "Well done you!"

"Arthur, please," the Doctor warned. "Enough with the blogging."

"Ah yes, universe ending conundrum which you need my help to solve. You know, I may need to hear you say that again."

"We don't have time for this," the Doctor said in a warning tone.

Rose sighed. She recognized the oncoming git when she saw it. "Arthur, we really do need your help."

Arthur looked at her and tapped his chin. "For you flower, anything."

"So what do we have to do?" Rose asked, nervously swirling her drink.

Arthur smiled almost seductively. "Watch."

The lights dimmed and a stage was lit up with multi-coloured blue, violet and green lights on a screen behind it moving in a kaleidoscope. Soon, a short bald headed beige coloured alien in a shiny silver space suit marched up and grabbed the microphone. He started to sing _I Will Survive_ and quite badly.

The Doctor winced, with a finger in one ear muttered that Sontaran's were bloody tone deaf. Arthur paid him no heed and instead just observed the alien singing his heart out. Rose watched Arthur and then realized that's what Arthur meant by seeing a person when they were vulnerable and their soul shined. She felt her hands getting clammy as she looked around the audience. She took a big gulp of her drink as Arthur excused himself to go have a chat with the off key alien. When he came back he looked pointedly at Rose.

"What?" she asked nervously.

"He wants you to sing, Rose," the Doctor said, a hard tone to his voice.

Rose fidgeted. "Can't the Doctor do it? I mean he's probably better at it then me and surely you can…"

Arthur burst out laughing. "Hon, I've tried to get the glowering grumpity here on my stage for years now. He insists it wouldn't work on him. Although…" Arthur narrowed his eyes at the Doctor who stared darkly back at him. "I'm not convinced. There's at least a planet's worth of mojo floating around him."

"Rose, pick a song and go up there and sing. The sooner you do, the sooner we can leave," the Doctor said gruffly and glaring at Arthur.

Rose looked down at the table and bit her lip. She scanned the room again and noticed there looked to be even more of a crowd.

"Rose, end of the universe, the Fates, prophesies, Anesidora; any of that ring a bell? What's the hold up?" he asked, sounding aggravated.

Arthur looked over at him. "I think our lovely blossom has a bit of stage fright."

Rose put her head in her hands and looked at the Doctor who was rolling his eyes.

"Stage fright? Are you kidding me? Rose, just go up and sing. This isn't a contest and no one's judging you and it's not like you're gonna see any of these people again. Just do it."

Rose sat up. "Welll if it's so bloody easy, you do it! You're just as much a part of this as me!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy children," Arthur cautioned. "Did you say Muses and prophesies cause that changes things up a bit. That's some heavy stuff when you're talking end of everything." He looked at Rose and then back at the Doctor.

"Oh come on Arthur! You gonna back out on us over a little apocalyptic warning? I mean, I thought you were supposed to be good," the Doctor taunted.

Arthur's eyes narrowed and he gripped the table hard. "I am good. In fact, I'm so good that I can tell how important this little lady is and not just to you. A lesser talented species would have thrown you out on your pretty little arses and run off to spend the apocalypse on a nice Caribbean island drinking margaritas delivered by some swanky off world hotty. You're both lucky I'm here and rather fond of this place. I have it good here and I'd like to keep it that way. It would seem the only way to assure that is to help you two and yes, it's going to take both of you.

"We both have to sing?" Rose asked.

"Oh no, I am not doing that," the Doctor stated and crossed his arms.

Arthur sat back in his chair and held up a hand which was soon filled with a martini. He ate an olive and looked back at the Doctor expectantly. The Doctor huffed, complained and generally was a git but finally agreed and walked with Rose up to the stage. A teleprompter advised them of the song which apparently Arthur arranged. The Doctor cursed and glared at Arthur. Rose smiled and nodded her head.

"You'll be fabulous, darling!" Arthur assured her.

And thus, the Doctor and Rose sang the lyrics to _I Melt With You._ At first they were a little tentative. When they sang the lyrics _Making love to you was never second best_ and _I'll stop the world and melt with you_ , they stared at each other and their love was reflected in their eyes. In fact, the Doctor even seemed to really dig into the song, swivelling his hips and moving with gusto leaving Rose smiling and thinking that he may be an old angsty alien but he had a bit of punk in him as well. At the end of the song they bowed and walked hand in hand back to the table. Arthur was staring at his drink.

"Arthur?" Rose asked, a little worried.

Arthur looked at her and swallowed hard. He then called for Sunny to deliver more drinks.

"We don't need drinks, we need to know…" the Doctor started to demand.

"Trust me, old friend, you need a hell of a lot more to drink before we talk about this."

Rose felt a chill envelop her and the Doctor reach over and squeeze her hand sending telepathic emotions of support. Whatever Arthur had to tell them, they would face it together.


	10. Chapter 10

Rose held the Doctor's hand, her thumb nervously caressing his as their waitress delivered another round. Arthur downed his drink and ordered another. The Doctor was quiet but glaring at Arthur, his jaw clenched and it was clear a storm was brewing in his eyes. Rose felt a tension in the room like a balloon about to pop. The music was muted and even the bar patrons seemed quiet, as if waiting for something bad to be unleashed. Finally, Arthur spoke.

"You've got some serious mojo around you, little flower," he said, staring at Rose as if seeing some fantastic site that fascinated and terrified him at the same time. "It's like staring into a burning sun about to go super nova and burn everything around it to ashes." He then turned to look at the Doctor. "Then, there's you." He sipped his drink. "Man, all I can think of is Abbadon lurking down in some deep, dark pit sucking the life and joy out of everything around you as you drown in some festering negative energy." He shook his head. "You two are like the yin and yang of destruction."

"Is that all you have?" the Doctor snapped, his eyes boring into Arthur. The room stilled as if the Doctor's very tone was enough to lay waste to the entire room along with every living thing in it. Many of the alien patrons directed anxious looks at them.

Arthur's golden brown eyes narrowed on the Doctor in a very alien way. "Careful, neutral ground. Remember? Wouldn't want to violate that and put petunia here at risk for whatever all these nice people might do in the free for all."

Rose felt her head throbbing as the Doctor practically growled at their poshly dressed, green skinned host making Rose once again the mediator in order to get what they came for. "Arthur, please," she said in a tired voice, closing her eyes and rubbing her temple with one of her hands, the other gripped firmly by the Doctor. "We came here for help."

Arthur seemed to soften as he looked at her. "Deary, I'm not sure who can help you with what you have coming." He leaned over closer to her. "You feel it. It's in the air all over you. It's always been coming for you, you know. You were born for this but it doesn't have to consume you." He shot a warning look at the Doctor before turning back to her. "Baby, you are one big ball of life and death wrapped into a pretty package. I meant what I said earlier. Tip one way and its boom, bye bye London, chips and margaritas while everything turns to ash and dust, but… tip the other and, well…it's like a giant reset button."

"Reset button?" Rose asked, nervously her voice shaking slightly.

Arthur shrugged. "Maybe we don't' all die, maybe the universe does a little samba, knocks back some tequila and wham bam thank you ma'am we all live. Maybe, it's not the same as we are now, but hey, that's life. Things change.

"Change how?" Rose asked concerned.

Arthur shrugged. "Who knows. Maybe grass is blue instead of green. Maybe we have Harriet Potter instead of Harry? Maybe even…" Arthur paused and shot a look at the Doctor. "Bananas don't exist anymore."

"That's enough!" the Doctor ordered whilst muttering under his breath about hellish realities and over his dead and desiccated corpse.

Arthur turned to her. "Then again could be something as simple as instead of enjoying a nice cup of tea, we eat cheese."

Rose looked at him and her brow furrowed. "Cheese?" she asked.

"Stranger things have happened. It's like that time the Crespallion Armada dropped by for a kegger in Leicester Square. Flipped the world on its ear, well at least half of it with the reality bombs they set off just for drunken kicks. Man, talk about twisted messed up planet! Half the humans were on a major trip and not the kind they wake up from the next morning wondering how they ended up at the top of that tree with just their pants on.

Rose stared at him. "What? I mean I think I'd know…"

"Oh stop it!" the Doctor groused. He turned to Rose and snorted. "Humans, such tiny little brains and so easily to manipulate. Do you have any idea how much clean-up it took to fix that mess?"

Arthur smiled at Rose. "Don't worry, sweetie, your kind wasn't meant to remember. In fact, a little temporal ala kazam and it didn't even happen. The point is those kind of interfering shenanigans could have caused a world ending paradox erasing all of humankind."

Rose stared at him her mouth opening just slightly in shock. Arthur just smiled. "Hey, being erased after a mega party is better than everything ends in fire and death."

That comment made her swallow hard and stare at the table. The throbbing in her head focused and all the other noise in the bar disappeared and suddenly, it was like she could feel the turn of the Earth. It was terrifying and invigorating and it filled her with an elation as well as fear. The Doctor moved closer to her. "Rose?" he questioned with concern.

Rose inhaled and released her breath slowly, knowing she had to broach the main topic of their problem. She looked at Arthur. "Anesidora," she finally said softly.

Arthur sat back looking nervous. Rose smiled slightly at him. "It's okay. We sort of got that she's someone big and powerful. We also know she doesn't want to be found, and well, she's sort of in me somewhere."

Arthur swallowed hard. "Oh pumpkin, you have no idea."

Rose stared deep into his eyes causing him to flinch and the Doctor to tense up. "Arthur, the universe is gonna end and she can help stop it. It's just, we don't know how to stop it or why she's in me."

The Doctor interrupted. "It has something to do with an old prophecy but the details are sketchy."

Arthur grabbed a drink off the tray of a passing waitress and gulped it down. He scooted his chair closer to them and looked around the bar before turning back at Rose. "I'm not joking when I say there's massive power in and around you." He looked at the Doctor. "You're a part of this too."

The Doctor bristled even though he knew Arthur may have useful information. This thing Arthur did, it felt invasive and he didn't like exposing Rose or himself to such scrutiny. In fact, he had a bad feeling about being in such a public place surrounded by so many curious eyes. "Get to the point Arthur. What do you know?"

"Anesidora," Arthur breathed. "She who brings up gifts. The Greeks called her the first woman, beautiful, seductive, cunning and with insatiable curiosity. Wasn't her fault though. She was made that way, made to unleash negative energy, hell on Earth. It was all over Zeus being miffed with Prometheus over stealing fire. Gods are so petty! Of course, it didn't all work out quite like they thought 'cos, Anesidora also unleashed hope. Powerful thing, hope," Arthur confided.

"But what's that got to do with me?" Rose asked and then it hit her. "Oh God," she gasped out and looked at Arthur and in a shaky voice whispered, "It's me. I'm meant to unleash all that power and it'll destroy everything and be my fault," she ended with a shaky voice, her fear and horror at the thought of it evident as she trembled slightly.

"No!" the Doctor said with a finality. "That is not you!" He shot Arthur a hard look. "Rose is no harbinger of destruction." At Arthurs blank look he felt a seething anger boil over. She was Rose, his Rose and one of things he loved about her was her goodness, her kindness and compassion and she would never knowingly cause harm to anyone or thing.

"Let me be clear, I knew those who were known on Earth as Zeus and Prometheus. Egotistical, self-important, conceited gits! They manipulated any beings they considered lesser and twisted the history of any world to suit their needs. I know the legend you're talking about only it went a little differently." He looked at Rose and his eyes softened. He cupped her cheek, softly caressing her. "If Anesidora is who he's saying, this has little to do with you and who you are. You and I are both pawns." His eyes hardened and he looked back at Arthur.

"The war I ended is still being waged, even now, after all that blood, fire, death and destruction. Even after centuries I thought I ended it. Now, here we are, Rose and me, sucked back into the hell of a foolish dispute of superiority, caught between an old cult of witches and those who subjugated them, forcing them from existence."

"You can't stop this," Arthur told him, a solemn look on his face. "It all ends one way or another whether you and the flower do your mojo or sit and watch it all crash around us."

Rose sat and listed to the two of them feeling her own conflict burning away inside of her. She didn't want to hurt anyone but she couldn't stand by and watch it all end either. Rose was drowning in a sea of fear and anxiety but Arthur was right about one thing, hope. She felt it burning brightly like a glowing ember in the dark guiding her onto a path toward an answer. Oh but the answer to this overwhelming dilemma was nothing easy or going to cause her any relief. It was simple. The answer was choice. She had to choose.

"Doctor," she said softly as he raged at Arthur about the brutality and unfairness of the universe and Rose being an innocent victim. When he heard her voice he stopped and looked at her. It was as if all the pain in the universe were reflected in her glistening brown eyes. There was burnt umber of regret, the russet of loss, deep copper of anger, the bronze of shame swirled together with a golden thread of responsibility. It was like a part of her wound itself deeper into his very essence strumming the emotions he had for her and reminding him that he couldn't hide from what he felt or his responsibility.

"No, this is not you're…" he began to say, his voice cracking from the emotion.

A golden tear trailed down her face and she cupped his slightly scruffed jaw. "It's my choice, our choice together and you know I can't just let everything die."

"Rose, please," he begged, not wanting to lose her and fearing that would be the result. He had already bound himself to her, he knew that now. He, who had kept everyone at arm's length, hardened his heart, erected impenetrable barriers to hide himself away, had allowed them all to crash down for love of one human girl. No that wasn't true, not a human girl, Rose. Everything in him rebelled and a storm raged and howled. He would not lose her, not now.

"We have to," she said as more tears fell and her breath hitched. "Together." She grabbed his hands in hers and squeezed. She turned to Arthur, the decision made.

"Tell us. We need to finish this, Arthur. We need Anesidora."

Arthur looked at both of them and shook his head before focusing on Rose again. "Ohhh sweetheart, I think you already know. It ends how it began and it begins how it ended. All you need is the key to unlock it and I think you have that already."

The Doctor turned to him as it all became clear. He squeezed Rose's hands. "It's not possible. I was there. I know how I ended it and that place is gone."

Arthur arched a brow at the Doctor. "Yeah, well how do you think Anesidora got in your girlfriend here?"

The Doctor stiffened. "Rose is not my girlfriend!" he retorted. Then, he realized how that would sound to her and continued. "She's so much more than that." He looked at Rose and leaned over and lay a gentle kiss on her mouth. She responded with a brave smile as he gazed into her eyes conveying what he couldn't express verbally.

Arthur rolled his eyes and waved a hand in the air. "Yes, well whatever!" He then directed a serious look at the Doctor. "The point is Anesidora somehow got in Petunia here so if she can do that then maybe something else is laying around on Earth just waiting to be found and if it's something that you used to destroy or unmake your people…."

The Doctor cursed and then looked up. "Muses!" he said bitterly before looking back at Arthur. "They're behind this. They said I would end my people and save them but not myself." He snorted. "Oh they made sure of that, that I suffered until…"

Arthur perked up. "Oh this is like a twisted fairy tale meets Greek tragedy in one big ball of pain, agony and long lost love. Whoa, this is some emo Snow Patrol song."

The Doctor's face twisted into revulsion. "What? No!"

Rose, who had been silent in her own worries suddenly burst into giggles that were partially tearful mixed with a touch of being pushed over the edge into some alien never land. "Oh my God, we so are!" When she saw the Doctor scowling she bumped her shoulder against his. "Come on, I know it's bad but you have to admit, it's a bit mental."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair causing it to stick up in all different directions before looking at her and the smile on her face even though her eyes still reflected her own inner turmoil. "Maybe or maybe it's all some twisted scheme by powerful immortal beings to muck up our lives," he admitted with a bitter edge to his voice.

"Well, old friend, if anyone is gonna have his life at the centre of a universal screw over, it's you. So, you and Rose have a little tête-à-tête with Anesidora, undo your little act of destruction and then what?"

"Restore the balance or some such nonsense. They weren't exactly specific on that," the Doctor said flippantly, now completely over the discussion and itching to do something instead of just sit in this bar.

"They said Anesidora would know what to do," Rose answered softly. "They also said we didn't have all the time in the universe either."

"We don't which is why we shouldn't waste it here," the Doctor bit out.

"Fine, go end the world. What do I care. I'll just tuck myself away and throw a little we're all gonna die party so what the hell!" Arthur said flippantly, martini in hand.

The Doctor stood up, tugging Rose up with him when Arthur looked at both of them one more time. "You asked for my help. I told you what I saw." He paused and looked off toward the vacant stage as if that was all he had to say.

"Arthur?" Rose asked softly. "Please, if there's anything more… It's just, well you know what's ahead for us and if you know something..." She looked at Arthur, worried and emotional and he felt himself melt a little bit. No matter what a git the Doctor was or how much he professed to protect her, Rose needed help and Arthur genuinely wanted to help her. Besides, getting on the good side of a powerful being like Rose would become, and he's sure she would, wasn't such a bad idea.

"Rose, time to leave," the Doctor commanded, tugging at Rose whilst looking down at Arthur with his typical brusque and autocratic manner which Rose disliked. She refused to budge and continued directing her gaze at Arthur.

A slow smile lit Arthur's face at the Doctor's possessive display. He would help them even if his old friend wasn't exactly happy to accept. "You know, one hears things when you hang around a place like this. I might have gotten wind of a few stories about what lies beneath our lovely city and how things might be a touch…odder than usual."

"What do you mean what lies beneath the city? Like the underground?" Rose asked.

Arthur swirled his drink and ate a liquor infused olive. "I mean old subterranean London, sweetie. This metropolis may not be old by planetary standards but by your people's history, it's been around at least two thousand. Even if you don't see the city that was, it's still there."

"Two thousand years, the oldest building is only what, around thirteen hundred years old. It's that old church near the Tower of London," Rose commented.

"Trust me, your people have been digging in the dirt, laying rocks and such for a lot longer. It's easy to lose track. Things get torn down, forgotten or built over. There's a whole different city beneath the one you know. Its stone and brick corridors filled with dark nooks and crannies and damp, dusty long forgotten holes in the wall that no one thinks about. Well, at least not any of the above ground dwellers but…there are others who know those dark paths, how to find their way in and around; what to avoid, where to hide and what lurks down there that should be avoided. It's a place where some of the homeless population went to live and not just your kind but, others too.

"Down there, nothing's what it seems. One wrong step and you fall into some deep dark hole you'll never find your way out of; have your throat cut, take an unintended swim in some underground river or find some long forgotten place filled with history. Rumour has it, there are miles of secret passages criss crossing the city and in one part a crossroads of sort. Only, this crossroads may not be all it seems in the physical sense. If you get my drift," he explained with emphasis.

The Doctor, who had been fidgeting , sighing and generally trying to get Rose to leave suddenly stopped and focused on Arthur. This was something he hadn't thought about and should have. He knew about the underground dwellers and some of what existed down there. It wasn't a pleasant place and not somewhere he visited often.

"Crossroads," he murmured as he allowed his senses to open up. It was difficult in the bar with so many alien species nearby, the unusual energy signature of the bar itself and having Rose near which was always a distraction. Everything felt as he expected, except perhaps for Rose but then she was an anomaly he filtered out and then…there. Something was off. Actually, several things were off. Some of it he narrowed down to a minor alien incursion which with his luck, was probably due to he and Rose. But, there was something else. He mentally berated himself for missing that subtle blip. Something was off.

"Arthur, when you say something in the underground is odder than usual, what do you mean?" the Doctor asked carefully.

Arthur looked at Rose. "Now he asks the right questions. Took him long enough." He then winked at her eliciting a smile on her part.

"Just what I said, word is something's off down there and not the usual way. Word on the street is to avoid the crossroads."

The Doctor ran a hand through his hair. This was sounding very not good and given the changes in Rose, the whole Anesidora thing and Arthur's whole prediction of things ending how they began and beginning how they ended mixed in with uneasiness at the underground crossroads , it equated to universal implosion imminent, happening in the right here, right now way.

"We need to go and I mean it this time," the Doctor said, looking at Rose. She sensed the seriousness of it and nodded.

She looked one final time at Arthur. "Thank you, Arthur, for everything."

"Don't thank me. You still have to deal with all dark and stormy here not to mention universal catastrophe."

Rose smiled. "Yeah, but you made it better. I won't forget that."

Arthur held up his drink. As they walked out he called out to her. "Rose." She turned. "Thank you." She nodded and she and the Doctor disappeared out of the club. The oppressiveness that had been hanging over the place disappeared as the two purported harbingers of doom exited and suddenly the music began to play, the chatter of voices increased and a lighter air filled the bar. Arthur looked over at his bartender who inclined his head as a group of hooded patrons followed the Doctor and Rose out. Arthur sighed and walked up to the bar, tapping his drink. There was nothing more he could do for them now. Funny thing was, he didn't feel as worried as he should. There was something about the two of them together that gave him hope.

"Anesidora," he whispered as he took a sip of his drink. "May you have better luck this time around," he continued, gazing into the blue light reflected in his drink.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is one more chapter after this. I am putting a tissue warning on it as the end of this chapter is very ANGSTY. I don't normally get teary over too much of my own work but this one I did. So fair warning, I was reaching for the tissues at the end of this chapter. Then again, it might just be me getting emotional over my characters. I am such a wuss sometimes! I will work on the next chapter right away so I won't make you wait too long - promise!

The Doctor's grip on Rose increased as they left the club and the dark cloud over London thickened and rumbled as the ever present mist turned into drops of rain splashing down on the pavement. The Crossroads, he should have thought to go there first but he was so focused on Rose and what she was that it never occurred to him.

The words of the three Fates rang in his mind": _You will walk alone in the universe until you find she who bears the gifts of all that we are, Anesidora; You will find her where and when you least expect it, when you are mired in darkness and despair_ ; _You won't remember any of this until you prove yourself worthy._ Was that what he had been doing? His jaw clenched and his eyes darkened as the two of them were battered by the heavy rain. He pulled her under some awnings as they walked. She was just as silent as he was and perhaps pondering her own fate.

Fate, he thought bitterly to himself, that's what this was about. His people were infamous for twisted and convoluted plots and manipulations. He was now caught up in one. The Fates had called it a causal loop of universal destruction. Were he and Rose destined to repeat this, die, find each other, figure it all out again and keep repeating it until they got it right? Had he done this before? He pulled her into an antique shop cutting through it as a short cut and worrying that was the truth. Rose shivered a bit beside him and he looked back to see her eyes reflecting her own worries He grabbed a bright blue knitted hat and scarf, pulling it on to her, shot a good dark glare at the shop keeper and pulled her further along as she called out his name.

The Doctor was in no mood for discussions. Time flowed around him, through the city, beneath it, through everything living or not, even he and Rose. Although, when it came them, nothing was normal. There was no question that they were the epicentre of a major event. As they made their way forward, it was becoming clearer, stronger and it terrified him. Arthur had not been joking, something was coming.

He poked at the timelines, testing them, analysing and hypothesizing whether or not they were indeed in some loop. Nothing appeared frayed, stretched or deteriorated as he would expect in extended repetition of events. If it was a loop, then it was fresh and hadn't reoccurred too many times. That left him worrying even more. If it had, where had they gone wrong before? Had he not found her? Had she… No, he wouldn't ponder a universe without Rose. That would not happen, not while he still lived.

They ventured through a maze of alleys, Rose calling his name a few times, beginning to sound frustrated, but he wasn't ready to talk to her yet. She would have questions, demand answers and assurances and he had nothing to give her but his own questions and concerns. Lightening flashed in the sky causing glass windows to shake as the rain washed the filth of the city along sidewalks and down streets. The scent of ozone was mixed with musty decay as they passed by full trash receptacles and splashed through puddles, ducking down yet another alley.

They weren't alone. As if universal calamity wasn't enough, he also had some annoying alien tourists to contend with. His mood darkened and he scowled. Rose yanked him to a stop and he directed his foul mood at her.

"What?" he asked, his voice sharp enough to cut.

"Don't you give me that glowering moody look!" Rose warned amidst the din of the rain hitting the buildings and thunder rumbling overhead. "I've been trying to talk to you since you dragged me into that antique shop and nearly gave that poor old shopkeeper a heart attack and you're ignoring me."

"We don't have time for this," he said, his voice vibrating with tension as he felt their pursuers nearing.

"I know we don't have time!" she shouted. "But instead of telling me anything 'bout where we're going, same as usual, you just stomped along yanking me about and looking like you expect the world to cave in. Seriously, it's like nothing's changed between us when you know it has. We're not the same as before and 'specially not after what Arthur told us. Now enough, where is this Crossroads and why is everything happening there? I know you're nervous about going there so stop the oncoming glower and tell me why?" she insisted, water dripping off of her long coat and shivering just slightly from the damp, cool weather but needing him to be honest with her and not treat her like just another human he had to protect. She wasn't that anymore.

He stared at her for a moment before grudgingly giving in. "It's like we talked about it in the club. It's a place where several underground passages meet along with other things, things not physical. It's like a nexus of energies and perhaps those energies caused a rift for things to fall through or things to disappear into."

"What, you mean like a wormhole?" Rose asked, trying to wrap her mind around the concept of something so dangerous beneath London.

"Sort of," he said, shifting and looking around the alley, clearly not happy. "Look, this Alley is not the place to be having a chit chat about it. We have to get a move on!" he grabbed her arm and dragged her further along.

Rose knew things were serious and in an end the world kind of way. She knew time was running out but she also wanted to understand what she was getting into, what choices she was about to have to make. She'd been dropped or shoved unprepared into enough of that sort of thing already. She wanted to be ready this time. After a few more blocks and a turn down another alley, she literally yanked on his arm.

"Stop," she said firmly.

He turned on her, the vestige of the dark lord who first appeared to her in an alley, saving she and Mickey from being eaten by a Krillitane. She didn't back down and stood up to him. He would never hurt her. There was no doubt in her mind on this point and she took a step closer to him. "I need to know."

His face was that of an arrogant, superior being glowering at the mortal who dared question him. Rose felt something rise up in her and stared into his dark fathomless eyes filled with so much power and time that they would leave most beings trembling but not her. She was the light to his darkness, a fire that would burn into those deep pits of anger and sorrow. Deep within her she felt the stirrings of something, enhancing her senses and filling her with even more strength. Time was moving around them and she could feel it. It tugged at her and wrapped around both she and the Doctor, whispering _soon, not long now_.

"Anesidora," Rose said softly and took another step closer to him and she reached for his hand, cool and wet in the rain that still doused the city. "She's here with us. I can feel something, like a shadow out of the corner of my eye. I don't understand but I know that we are close to what we have to do and it scares me and not just because of the danger. It's like this vibration, a release of something powerful, an excitement but it's so terrible. Please, Doctor, tell me what's going to happen."

He watched her, in that rainy, dark, narrow alley, as she changed before his eyes. She was still Rose but there was something else there just beneath the surface. It enhanced her courage and her emotions filling her with something foreign and alien, a power that had weaved its way through her at a metaphysical level. She was so much more. It could have consumed her and yet she was still there, his Rose her eyes reflecting golden flecks of power tempered by a human desire to survive and be herself. It was awe inspiring and frightening to him all at the same time.

"I don't know," he finally answered. "I can only guess that we will find something from my home world, something terrible I unleased. Arthur said it begins as it ended and it ends as it began." There was a look of pain, a heavy burden reflected in his eyes.

Rose nodded her head even though she didn't really understand. "And it could destroy us."

"No, I won't it let it destroy you," he said his voice forced and determined. "I have lived too long, made too many mistakes and deserve nothing. This life I've had has been more about existing than living, trying to preserve the old ways of doing things and making sure people don't forget but that's not right. It's not enough and I can see that now. You showed me. There is so much more and if I could, I would explore it all with you, show you a universe you couldn't imagine. I just don't…. Rose, nothing is for free. There is always a price to be paid. If a sacrifice must be made, then it should be someone who is responsible for so much death and destruction. Not, an innocent girl with a heart so big…" His voice broke and he felt tears falling down his face mixing with the rain. "That she could forgive a monster like me, that she put up with the shit I put her through and she still has so much love to give."

"Stop it!" she insisted in an emotional voice. "We. Are. Doing. This. Together! I'm not losing you!"

His face softened for a moment. "If I have one good thing I can do, one way to redeem myself, it will be keeping you safe. I cannot fathom a universe without Rose Tyler."

Rose reached up and grabbed the soaking lapels of his coat, her fingers gripping the wet fabric tight and sure and she gently pulled him closer to her and said in an unwavering voice, "I love you." She then yanked him to her and slammed her mouth against his. It was fierce, passionate and meant to convey a message, as teeth clashed and her tongue slid against his and she pulled him against her in a tight embrace, wrapping herself around him not caring about rain, being in some dingy alley or that the end of the universe was upon them. Rose could only think of him and them and how much she loved him, all of him, even the dark and dangerous immortal being. When they parted, they gazed into each other's eyes, soaking wet in the rain, droplets of water hanging on his hair that was now plastered against his forehead.

Rose smiled as she felt the energy around them shift. This was a feeling she was learning meant danger was near and as it was them, it would more than likely require this man, this alien that she loved to unleash his inner turmoil and anger upon their would be attackers. She arched a brow at him feeling him around her and a touch of him in her mind, tensing, being annoyed and darkening.

This was her lover, the passionate man who had softened, learned that he didn't have to always be a condemning omnipotent godlike creature raining fire and destruction on all. But, he was still fierce and alien and right now he didn't like that the woman he loved was being threatened. This was who he was and it wouldn't change any more than she could change who she had become, Anesidora, a key to stopping universal destruction, saving his people, Rose Tyler, not so human but still the girl raised on the Estate, who loved her mum, hated to see people hurt and wanted to keep this man she loved safe.

The universe did revolve around them, at least right then it did. She accepted that now. As he once told her, it was a burden but one they shared together. It was funny how she had this clarity now, could accept these wild and bizarre circumstances but perhaps Arthur was right, everything in her life was leading to this from gymnastics when she was six to rebelling against school and her mum to bad boyfriends making her see she was worth more to sweet Mickey teaching her she wanted more from life to running into this strange bloke in the park being attacked by muggers.

She was all right and good with it. As she stood before this sometimes rude and cranky alien, she watched him shed the passionate look in his eyes directed at her and transform himself into the hunter, the warrior and immortal being who felt possessive of this world and didn't tolerate interlopers. He was dangerous, lethal really and she knew this, had seen it and stopped it on occasion. Now, as she felt as they were being surrounded by other beings with malicious intents. One thing was certain, this would not end well…for those that hunted them.

She transformed too, maybe in response to the streak of danger in him and around them. Perhaps some of his dark tendencies had leached into her or maybe it was just she knew that there was only one possible outcome to the very dangerous situation about to bubble up around them and possibly cause more loss of life to any people nearby. It made her shiver with anticipation and feel confident. She looked up at him, a look of amusement in her eyes and she patted his lapel. "Need help?"

He smirked at her noticing the slight changes in her stature and the look in her eyes. Part of him felt a twinge of loss at her innocence of the brutal realities of the universe. But, another part of him was proud. She was Rose, strong, stubborn, determined, teasing him in the face of danger because she had faith in him. It was this support and her trust and affirmation of him that made him stronger. He didn't think he had ever had anyone believe in him like she did and he wasn't about to lose it or let her down.

"Oh, I think I've got this one," he said in a growling, cocky voice.

"All right. Just remember, we have a universe to save."

He winked at her. "Yes, dear."

A pulse weapon fired near Rose and she easily shifted to the side as if she knew where it would whizz by her. She turned back and looked at the figures in black cloaks holding weapons, her hair dripping and hanging around her face.

"Rude," she commented as the Doctor slowly walked toward them, power flowing off of him and time slowed allowing him to disarm their attackers. He snapped his fingers and time sped up.

"Show off," Rose teased as she watched him slam two of their attackers into the brick wall of an adjacent building. One raced at her. Rose wasn't scared. She had a new confidence, a feeling of her own self-worth and strength. She casually squatted down to pick up a tire iron lying, wet and rusting on the ground.

As she gripped, the wet and heavy tool, grunting and growling noises echoed in the alley followed by cursing, a few thumps and a flap of wings. Rose stood up as one of the creatures, now free of its cloak glared at her with golden eyes. It looked like a gargoyle, a stone sculpture from one of the old buildings come to life. It snarled and unfurled its wings as it charged her on thick, grey scaled and clawed feet.

Dripping wet and holding her tire iron, she waited and just as it was about to reach her, the Doctor appeared in a black blur and grabbed it by a wing and tossed it to the side. Rose cocked her hip out. "Oi, I had it handled," she announced swinging the tire iron in the air as emphasis.

He shot her an arrogant look just as one of the creatures tackled him by his long legs and he fell forward into a puddle on the pavement, cursing the whole time and kicking back at the creature. Rose just quirked a smile muttering about serving him right. She then turned her attention back to the snarling horned creature that had attacked her earlier and was trying to sneak up on her.

She whipped around and clubbed it with the tire iron. It fell to the ground with an oof that was quite satisfying to her. Perhaps she shouldn't have taken such satisfaction in it but she was wet, cold, tired, hungry and still had universe saving to do. It wasn't very nice to be attacked in an alley and it made her cranky. With a satisfied humph, she swung the long metal rod around and turned back to the Doctor who had now subdued his attacker and was shouting at it, demanding to know who sent it. It growled an answer at him. The Doctor kicked it again and warned it never to cross his path or it would find itself permanently frozen on the worst, most crusty and uninviting building in the city.

He whipped around, his wet coat slapping his already sodden legs, ran a hand through his hair ruffling it up into wet spikes and looked at her. "Well? What are you standing around for? Shift!"

Rose rolled her eyes, dropped the tire iron onto the pavement with a clank and walked over to him, looping her arm through his and walking away muttering to him about how he was cranky when he was wet. He responded cheekily about how rain wasn't as fun as bath water.

The fallen aliens growled but made no effort to stop them. The truth was that their kind knew what was in the Crossroads and how powerful it was. It was the power over creation and destruction, to re-order the universe and they had a mind that their place would change. Seeing the Doctor and Rose together, however, had imbued them with a good dose of fear. They may covet power but they had just seen how easily that power could be directed against them. They watched how casually the couple walked away and felt the reverberations of power emanating off of them, a warning not to cross their path again. That warning was enough to make these gargoylans happy to go back to their buildings, to sit vigil and wait for another time and an easier prey.

fwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwddwdwdwdwdw

The Doctor led Rose down an incline and into an old deteriorated brick building, the interior thick with dust and scattered with broken tables, chairs, a few blankets and old mattresses where vagrants had taken refuge for the night. It smelled of the ever present damp and mildew along with a few more unpleasant remnants of those who sought refuge there.

Their banter had quieted as they left their fallen attackers behind. The Doctor sank into himself again, worrying and thinking about their attackers. The Gargoylans had wanted power and knew about the Crossroads. If they knew, who else was aware of this journey? It began to feel like the universe was pressing in on him and it made him cling to Rose even tighter.

The Doctor had meant what he'd said about sacrificing himself for her. He looked at her beside him standing in that filthy, dilapidated room. She seemed calm and resolved to do whatever they must. Part of him wanted to stop, pick her up, toss her over his shoulder and run and let the universe sort itself out but he knew she wouldn't want that. A harsh snort sounded inside his head. Suddenly, what she thought of him and whether or not she would be disappointed was a priority. He wondered how and when that happened but he knew the answer to that. It was the moment he met her that he had fallen into a rose coloured sanctuary without even realizing it. As much as he had struggled against it, denied his feelings, declared her a mystery to be solved, the truth was she had captivated him, inspired him to want to live again and now he didn't want to escape that sanctuary.

He kept her close to his side as they continued through the room, lit only by the bits of light that shined in through dirty encrusted windows. Soon, he led her to a basement, down rickety wooden stairs disintegrating with age, creaking and cracking as they climbed down into a darker place where she couldn't see. Rose clung to his arm as they descended. When they reached the bottom he turned his sonic screwdriver into a torch, the blue tipped light shining a circle of illumination on the uneven wood floor, thick with dirt and rats scampering away from the light.

As he led her into the room, Rose had an overwhelming feeling of foreboding envelope her. This combined with the chill from the air against her damp clothing and skin, added to the ominous mood of this place. She winced and coughed, feeling as if she had swallowed some of the dust and grit permeating this place. It made her tighten her grip on the Doctor and brush her face against his wet shoulder. He paused.

"Everything all right?"

"No, I mean yeah. I mean just keep going," she said and meant it. The sooner they got this done, the sooner they could leave. Visions of that claw foot tub back at the Doctor's hide out, filled with hot scented water filled her mind.

He led her a few steps further and shined his light into an opening from which a humid, dank breeze hit her. She stopped and peered into that darkness and everything in her screamed _get out_.

"Rose, look at me," he commanded, after feeling her tense and her breath hitch with fear. She looked up at him, her eyes dilated and her palms beginning to sweat despite the chill in the air.

"I'm here and I've got you. You are not alone and there's nothing here right now that can hurt you. I'd sense it if there was."

"Rats," she gasped and jumped as she swore something touched her ankle. She looked down at the dark floor barely able to see her own boot clad feet and whimpered.

He reached his hand over and cupped her face forcing her to look at him. "You've faced off against Gelth, Krillitane, warrior caste Silurians and the Gargoylan assassins back there and you're worried about rats?" He looked at her, his face contorted with disbelief and a bit of sarcasm.

"They're rats!" she said firmly and stepped closer to him. "They…they were on the estate and there was this one place, apartment in another building and they nested and then they got to the kids who woke up covered in 'em and…" she couldn't finish, tears running down her face. "I don't like 'em okay? Their dirty and vicious and they have these sharp teeth."

"Okaaayyyy," he drawled. "Well, if I can blow up my entire civilization, I think I can protect you from a few dodgy rats."

Rose felt her temper rise and she smacked him on the arm. "Don't make fun of me! I'm sure there's stuff you don't like either!"

His face became serious and his light reflected long shadows emphasizing the hard look in his eyes. "Yes, I am afraid of something," he assured her with great meaning as he looked at her.

Then, he shook it off. "No time for us to focus on fear. I promise, I will get you out of here free from the terrible rats. Now shift!"

Rose still wasn't happy but gave herself a little pep talk and was determined not to allow the vile, disgusting rodents to deter her. She watched as he squatted down and stuck one of his long legs into the hole, never letting go of her hand. Rose bit her lip and scrunched her eyes shut as she followed, trusting in him to keep her safe and guide her through this.

There wasn't much room in the confined space where, a tunnel with curved walls of stone and brick that seemed to close in around them. The Doctor had to bend over to make his way through. Even though Rose was shorter, even she had to duck a few times as they made their way through the pitch black with only the Doctor's light to lead them along. A stream of water flowed against them on the floor as they sloshed their way along. Rose tried not to think about it, the putrid odours or the scuffling sounds that echoed around her.

Neither of them spoke and Rose wasn't sure if it was so they remained aware of their surroundings or if it was just that it smelled that bad in there that neither of them wanted to open their mouths. The Doctor led them down two more side tunnels until they reached one that was bigger and they could both stand up. Rose stretched a bit, trying to unkink her back from being bent down for so long. The Doctor was doing something similar. That's when Rose noticed a glow of light illuminating the tunnel walls.

"This is a main corridor. Those that use this tunnel frequently embedded it with some alien technology, a kind of algae that grows in self-contained environment."

"Algae filled snow globes?"

He shot her a look that bespoke his disgust with that analogy.

"Fine, so the rest of the way is lit by alien algae stuff. How far are we?"

He stood still for a moment, his head cocked to one side and turned to face away from her. "Not far," he murmured softly and continued to stare down the passage, lost in thought.

Rose walked up beside him watching his face. There was something haunting him. She looked down the tunnel but all she could see was darkness and a slight golden glow. She grasped his cool, damp hand. They were both still wet from walking in the rain and should be freezing. That's when it hit her. It wasn't cold here and in fact, something nearby was warm. Then she felt something prickling against her skin like static electricity.

The Doctor didn't react. He just kept staring forward. His lack of response began making Rose nervous. "Doctor, something's down there."

His shoulders slumped and he looked over at her, a soft smile lit his face. "Rose Tyler, when I met you, I never had a clue where it would lead me and now here we are at the beginning and end of it all."

"The Crossroads," she replied softly.

He stared down the tunnel again. "No use delaying. It won't change anything." He tugged her forward with him. She was nervous and wanted to ask questions but something stopped her. She might worry about what they would face and how she would deal with it, but he was about to face his past, what he had done and there was no way around it for him.

Rose knew it was a heavy burden, had seen the choice he made and the power he'd unleashed. He blamed himself. She tightened her grip and strode forth with him, trying to direct positive thoughts to him and a promise that no matter what, they were doing this together. He never responded directly but she knew by the way he held her hand that he appreciated her being there for him.

It was a fairly short walk to the Crossroads. After all the ominous predictions, warnings and generally perilous premonitions, the Crossroads didn't seem like anything grand or dangerous. It was merely a room with several openings leading to tunnels. The only thing odd about it was the architecture. It was brick with a domed ceiling with mosaic artwork on it and there were old, cobweb covered clay urns adorning the sides of the room in little alcoves set in between entrances to the five tunnels that met there.

Rose took a step forward and slowly spun around, finally looking up to study the mosaic artwork. It depicted some half-dressed men fighting, on their knees and a few glaring off to the side and a half nude woman kneeling before them with tears cascading down her face as she gazed down at a cracked urn before her. Rose swallowed hard as she felt the sorrow of the woman wrap around her. Slowly, her head dropped and she stared down one of the tunnels wanting to do nothing more than run.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," the Doctor said in a cracked voice.

Rose turned to him. "So this is it."

He nodded, his eyes reflecting such a consuming sorrow.

"Anesidora, Rose, my…" He paused before speaking again. "My love," he said, his voice shaking with emotion. "It ends how it began and it begins how it ended."

Rose walked up to him, grasping both his hands, her fingers lacing with his in a firm grip. Tears trailed down her face. "We have to break an urn and do just like the legend says, unleash all the sorrows, misery and pain into the universe."

"Humans," he murmured in tone that normally would have been laced with disgust and derision but this time, it was filled with sadness. "always getting it wrong. It was never about all the bad things. It was about power, its seductive nature and how it was used." He paused again as he looked down at the floor a moment before looking back into her eyes.

"There is a saying on Earth that power corrupts and that is an undeniable truth. One can seek out power for pure and good intentions, say to make the universe a better place, to stop wars from happening, provide enlightenment and create life but in doing so, there are always consequences. You can't just create life without taking it from somewhere else. With all things there must be balance. Remember the Fates mentioning how in my world there were once two distinct groups, the Pythia and the rest of my people? When my people destroyed the Pythia, they destroyed themselves without realizing it. They created an imbalance which had a dominoe effect across time and space."

Rose could feel the weight of his words. She had an inkling she knew where this was going. A tingling sensation danced across her skin and memories that weren't her own flashed before her eyes. Memories of destruction, women prostrate with sorrow, men running and the feeling of hot tears covering her face as horrifying realization filled her with nausea. Anesidora had been forced to make a difficult decision, as difficult as the Doctor. She heard him continue to speak through her own mind fogged with the pain of what had come before.

"Power destroyed my people and their loss caused further imbalance which will umake everything. Power is what can restore the balance as well. The essence of the universe, that which creates and destroys is the last option. Anesidora, she knows this and it's why she doesn't want to be found. I unleashed it to stop my people but it also sped along the universal destruction, causing cracks and fissures and allowed one Pythia sister who had made a similar choice to fall through time and space seeking out a refuge and she found it here on Earth in…"

He paused again as his voice broke. "A kind, compassionate, intelligent, brave human girl. She nestled herself deep inside this human who reminded her of all the good things she once was and a life she craved and she protected that girl. But, as with all things, the universe turned on her and she couldn't protect her. Fate was calling and she couldn't run and now we are here. It's a temporal loop. We keep repeating it, Anesidora, you and I until we get it right. This time we are all together, if she'll help us."

He fell to his knees as he gazed into Rose's tear filled eyes. "Please, Anesidora, help us to put this to rest, to restore the balance, to save my Rose. She doesn't deserve this heavy burden. Please, I love her."

Rose dropped to the ground with him and threw her arms around him. "Don't leave me!" she cried, sobbing and gulping for breath as all of Anesidora's feelings combined with her own almost overwhelmed her. The knowledge and heavy burden became clear and she knew what they had to do. It was almost the softest whisper in her ear, a sad song echoing in her mind. If she hesitated with this, she'd never be able to do it. She pulled back and gazed into his dark eyes one more time, memorizing him and then leaned in to gently press her lips to his.

It was soft and feather light as she placed butterfly kisses across his mouth, gently sucking his lower lip and nibbling him just so. He allowed her the control. It was at her pace as she deepened the kiss sliding her tongue against his and wrapping her arms around him, feeling the thrum of his heart beating against her chest. Her hands tangled into his wet hair, tugging him gently.

Her mind opened up to him fully for the first time. They had previously fluttered around each other, the edges of their minds, delved into some memories but never completely revealed themselves, the depths of who they were. Anesidora had not allowed it but now it was time. The Doctor moaned as he dove into the warmth of Rose, felt her all around him, her mind whispering against his, ribbons of memory and time wrapping around him, sliding through him in some silky, sensuous dance.

He wasn't alone. It was his first thought as the darkness lifted and his mind filled with the rainbow of colours that was Rose, as he smelled her scent, experienced sensations of her warm skin and the sounds of her moans vibrating through his mind and body. It was pleasure unlike he had ever known to be completely joined and filled with her essence and to know that he was pouring his emotions into her just as deeply. He gasped as heat slid across his skin shooting straight for his groin as he visualized their night together in his bed except this was a hundred times more intense. He gasped her name as he felt his control slip.

Rose was no less affected. Heat pooled between her thighs as the sound of his voice made her shiver. She saw herself lying with him, bound up in the softest satin ribbons, sliding coolly against her skin binding her to him as her legs locked tightly around him and he firmly embedded himself deep inside of her. Feeling him within her, so intimately deep in her mind was erotic and satisfying and she felt herself almost purring with the satisfaction of feeling so filled, warm and loved.

They were building to something, she could feel it. She wanted this with him, to share such intimacy and know him as much as she wanted him to know her. She called out to him on a level she didn't understand, his voice whispering to her and the two of them feeling that shiver of pleasure between them. A searing heat built, enveloping them and she felt the last piece of herself unlock and nestle into him.

It was the last moment of pure happiness before they both realized that their love, their ecstasy and joy was the key to unlock the power to destroy and create. "No!" Rose screamed as the room around them shook and urns began cracking. "No, please no," she cried out as untempered power swirled around them.

She clung to him as she felt the world shatter, heard voices call out in rage, accusations, sinting blessings, praising them, cursing them, wars raging, music playing and her heart pounding and still he held her and for once in his life was calm and peaceful murmuring to her that it would be all right.

"No it won't," she cried, her face buried in his chest.

The Doctor knew what had to be done. They had to focus on what was, is and could be but most of all balance. They had to restore the universe even at the heavy cost he knew he would have to be paid. "Rose," he whispered and she answered him in her mind.

He pulled her to a peaceful place where their minds met, two minds joined in harmony. They stood together holding hands in a green grassy field, a clear star studded night sky above them. "It's beautiful," Rose said softly, never having seen such a sky in London.

"It's my gift to you," he explained and began naming stars and constellations, the sound and cadence of his voice lulling her into a peaceful state as he pointed from star to star.

"Will you take me to see them one day?" she asked still gazing up at the twinkling lights.

"I would if I could but it's no longer up to me," he answered with a sad smile.

Rose turned to him, feeling herself quiver with what she felt was to come. "No, please don't leave me," she responded her voice trembling with emotion.

"You know we had to do this. Begin again and reboot the universe."

"No, please don't say…that I've lost you."

"I will always be with you. There's a piece of me up here," he said, tapping her temple. "And a piece of you with me as well. No one can take that from us. We are creatures of time, you and me. The universe may rip us apart but we will always find each other."

Rose felt tears coating her cheeks. "It's not fair! Why do I have to lose you?"

He tugged at his ear nervously. "Welll, maybe you will but then again, maybe you won't. The universe, it's unpredictable. I can feel it though, tugging at me, pulling me into the maelstrom. I don't know how much longer we have before everything is realigned, reset and hopefully in a way that is permanent this time. Well, I mean, at least permanent in that you and I don't have to clean up the mess. I think we've done enough of that." His last sentence was shouted at the sky above them.

"Will I…will I remember?" she asked fearful of his answer. She didn't want to forget any of this, all that they'd done and how much she loved him.

"Complicated event in space and time you are and well, there's hope. Never underestimate hope. Anesidora didn't and she brought you to me. Right now, I rather like hope."

"Kiss me. Not goodbye. Kiss me to remember," Rose pleaded.

"My Rose," he murmured before leaning in for the kiss of the end and the beginning, a kiss of memories and hope.

Rose felt him warm and alive against her, clinging to him and in the next moment, she fell forward into a puddle on the dirty floor of a dark underground passage, alone. There was no sound except an eerie wind and the sound of water running.

"No," she said in a shaky voice, not willing to accept he was gone.

"Doctor!" she shouted, hearing her voice echo. She waited and shouted his name again and again until finally she knew he was gone and she was alone in the dark. Pain and sadness like she had never known washed over her and she cried out as she sobbed. As she cried herself out and was gulping for breath and shivering from the cold, she realized she felt something in her coat pocket. She reached in and felt a long metal pen like object and smiled, laughing and crying. Universal reset or not, unmaking, remaking or realigning, none of it mattered. She knew he was real even if the rest of the universe didn't remember him or what happened. She knew the truth and she had hope.

The sonic flicked on in torch mode and she stood up. She looked backwards expecting to see the Crossroads but all she saw was more tunnels. She felt overwhelmed again with loss and slowly made her way forward, not knowing what she would find, if he was alive or if she would ever see him again or if the world existed anymore. She didn't even know where she was going and didn't really care. Rose felt drained of emotion, energy and life. Somehow, she made her way out of the darkness and the first thing she noticed was how bright it was and how the sun was shining down and then she noticed the trees, green leaves, grass, children playing in a nearby park.

This was no longer the world she knew. Everything had changed…except her.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter! Uh it got a bit long. I suppose I could have made it two chapters but...well I hate breaking it up. This chapter is primarily Rose oriented. I'm sure you may get the parallel universe vibe and that was intentional. Rose and the Doctor changed the universe, things will be different. This chapter is very much Rose realizing her situation, who she is and how to take control of her life. Promise it has a happy ending!
> 
> This birthday fic for the lovely Larxene started 6 months ago and I'm so grateful for her patience as I slowly updated it. It was fun working in the mythology and twisting things up a bit. I appreciate the lovely comments and kudos. Thanks so much for reading!

In a trance like daze, Rose made her way through this new sunlit London, just looking at the people and buildings and how much brighter and cleaner everything was. Even the fashion was different. It was almost too much for her to take in after losing the Doctor and everything she had seen and experienced. People shot odd looks at her, this pale faced girl with stringy wet hair, walking down the street in her sodden jeans, long coat and with a ratty blue scarf wrapped around her neck. She had lost the hat somewhere in the subterranean tunnels. When she realized this, she started crying again and ducked into a park finding a shady bench to hide away from the stares of those on the street. Those people had no idea what had just happened and how different their lives once were.

Sunlight filtered through the trees dancing across the ground in front of her. She really hadn't seen much of the sun in her lifetime, only having left her London a handful of times to visit the country and see what life outside the cloud enshrouded city was like. Now, the sun would fill her days bathing her in warmth she didn't think she could ever really feel.

She heard the sound of laughter and saw children running in the distance. Life went on no matter what happened to her. It was hard to swallow that the life she knew was in tatters whilst the rest of the world, the universe, plodded along, barely blinking at its brush with destruction. She slumped over on the bench, wrapping her arms around herself shivering and shaking, her grief consuming her as she thought about the past few weeks of her life.

She knew the Doctor wouldn't want her to sit in the park being sad and lonely. It wouldn't honour his sacrifice. She felt tears pool again as she thought of him and what it had felt like to have him in her mind, how good, right and peaceful it was. She missed him so much. She could almost hear him chastising her now, calling her a typical human whinging and moaning at what she'd lost instead of embracing this new bright world around her and how lucky she was to have it.

Rose stood up, wiping off her face and taking a shaky breath. She couldn't just sit there. It was time to do something. She quickly made her way across town, walking and by bus even if she continued to get weird looks and people whispering. Very soon, she realized that her little trip down below the city had left an unpleasant residue on her. She excited the bus to the relief of many of the passengers. She walked toward Canary Wharf and the building that had housed the Doctor's hide out. It was a thriving area now and the building filled with people and businesses.

It struck her to the core. The place they had made love, argued and where she first told him she loved him was gone. This was yet another loss, more that was erased from her life. She looked down at the pavement and turned to walk away as people walked around, avoiding the girl they perceived, dirty, destroyed clothing, stringy hair and with the stench of the gutter about her. An elderly man selling newspapers asked her if she needed help. She looked at him and paused. The world shifted and she realized, she didn't just see him, she saw how he existed in the universe. She stumbled to the side as her brain overloaded with this information. He darted out and grasped her arm asking after her and she saw flashes of his life past, present and possible future, streaming through her mind in blinding colours and loud echoing voices.

Rose snatched her arm away quickly assuring him she was fine and backed away. The Doctor had talked about the burden the two of them bore and she believed him now in a way she never had before. She quickly left the area and headed home to her mum, worried about what she'd find. It was close to sundown as she reached the Powell Estates and ran up the stairs to her mum's flat. She had her key but was afraid she'd find her mum gone or her mum wouldn't remember her or something equally as horrible. Trembling, she knocked on the door.

Her mother answered and looked her up and down, wrinkled her face, covered her nose and mouth with her hand.

"Rose, what the hell have you gotten into? You reek!"

"Mum," Rose said with a shaky voice. "You remember me."

Jackie took a few steps back waving her hand in front of her face. "Of course I bloomin' remember my own daughter!" Then Jackie paused. "What happened? Did someone hurt you?" she asked, panic lacing her voice.

Rose burst into tears and shook her head. "Oh sweetheart, are you sure?" Jackie asked, stepping closer and running a hand through the clumped strands of Rose's hair. Rose nodded her head.

"Well come on then, let's get you cleaned up and you can tell me what happened over a cuppa and you can take those boots off here. I won't have you stomping whatever you've been in all over my clean flat."

Rose did as she was told and went to her bedroom. Everything was just as she remembered it, so much so the mere fact of the normalcy jarred her. She grabbed some clothes and headed into the bathroom for a hot shower and to think about what to tell her mum. Obviously, her mum didn't remember the Doctor or anything else that happened. Rose would have to think of something to tell her and something her mum would understand in human terms.

Rose felt tears rise to the surface again as she lathered her hair with a floral scented shampoo. She had to think of things in human versus non human terms and she wasn't exactly human anymore. That was something she was sure of and she needed to keep in mind. Memories of aliens hunting her were still fresh. She needed to be sure to keep her mum safe. As she rinsed the shampoo from her hair she decided she would tell her mum the basics: she met a bloke, got into a bit of trouble and now he'd gone missing. She'd fudge the details about muggers, chips, walking around town, hitting up a club and then getting lost in a bad area.

Her mother seemed to accept it although narrowed her eyes at a few points and shouted at her for doing something so stupid whilst reminding her about Mickey and what he'd say. Rose had completely forgotten about him and that was very telling. She'd deal with Mickey later. Right then, she was too raw from everything. She wondered how she had so many tears still left in her but they flowed all too easily every time she thought of how the Doctor was gone and she may never see him again.

Jackie Tyler was no fool and she knew her daughter was not telling her everything but what could she do with a weeping daughter who looked like she hadn't eaten in weeks. How her daughter had lost so much weight without her knowing was beyond her. But then, she couldn't figure out how Rose had fit in a secret bloke without her knowing about it. In Jackie's world, Rose was dating Mickey, worked at Henriks, lived a normal life and she had just seen her daughter the day before and she looked fine. The universe had compensated around Rose Tyler, preserving the time lines that tangled and sprouted around her.

That night, Rose fell into an exhausted sleep riddled with dreams of aliens, rats and her Doctor calling for her to save him. In this nightmare, she ran down tunnel after tunnel looking for him but never able to find him whilst aliens clawed at her and accused her of failing and he died because of her, everything was her fault. She woke up the next morning to her alarm blaring at her. She groaned and buried her face in the pink linens of her bed dreading this day. In this world, she was just Rose Tyler shop girl. That was who she had to be on the surface, a lie she had to maintain even when inside, she was someone else entirely.

Thus, Rose lived that lie, trying to find some stability but always thinking of what she had lost. It wasn't always easy. There were subtle changes like people she used to be friends with, hated her; or people who had ignored her were now friends. Some things were the same though, like Mickey. It appeared no matter the universe, Mickey was still sweet, loved her mum, followed her around like a puppy, wanted to spend his evenings at the pub getting pissed with his friends, watching a match and trying to persuade her to spend the night with him. It hadn't taken Rose long to tell him things had changed and she had changed. He was angry and so was her mum blaming Rose for getting airs and graces working at some fancy shop.

Throughout it all, Rose remained calm or perhaps a better word was numb. How could she get upset? This was a different world. There were other variations though and Rose began to catalogue them. It was her way of reconciling herself to this new life. First, was the outdoor activities people seemed to enjoy every day; there were parks filled with trees and flowers; vendors sold produce on the street; there were ice cream stands; and fountains spraying water into the air making rainbows whilst children splashed and played in them. There were so many gardens and Rose could stand for hours just looking at the flowers and watching birds and butterflies. At night, she'd climb onto the roof of their building and just stare at the stars, looking for the constellations he had pointed out to her, almost hearing his voice in her ear as if he was sitting next to her.

"I miss you," she'd whisper to those stars. "I…I hope you're all right and happy; I hope you're people are alive and not fighting anymore; and if you can, if you remember me…find me. Please, just let me know you're all right and that…that's all. I won't be a clingy human even if I love you more than air," she pleaded as tears pricked her eyes. Eventually, she left the roof and went inside but it was a scene that was often repeated.

She had a job and had to get up every day and go to work. This was the same and she hated it. How difficult it was to do something so tedious, normal and boring when you knew there was so much more out there, like aliens sneaking about and some of them unpleasant. Each day, she showed up, put on a smile, tried to be a good salesperson, folded sweaters, told women they looked good even when they didn't, had lunch with her mates and put on the act of her life, pretending this was a good life.

One day, she learned one thing about this new world, it definitely still had aliens. She was walking by an alley near the estate and lo and behold, a young woman was being attacked by alien muggers, the same alien muggers she had come across attacking a certain Doctor. A smile lit her face, the first genuine smile in months.

She stormed into the alley and shouted. It was three figures dressed in dark hooded sweatshirts. They turned to her letting the young dark haired woman fall to the ground. Rose looked at them and realized these aliens were not the same as she thought. Their skin was pale, their eyes and almost silver colour but they were healthy. There was nothing sickly about them unlike the Gelth that had attacked her Doctor. It was an affirmation that what she and the Doctor had done, had worked. These were not refugees.

"What do you think you're doing here?" Rose demanded as she observed them. She didn't know much more about them other than what the Doctor had told her about the ones in her other world who were on Earth hunting for body parts. These creatures didn't look to be needing anything like that.

One smirked at her and said something in a soft hissing language and the other two began circling around her. Rose knew she should be afraid but she wasn't. In fact, part of her was itching for a fight if for no other reason than to vent her frustrations and prove she was still alive.

"You're the Gelth, yeah? What you here for, thieving? Or maybe you're just on Earth to have a good time terrorizing the population?" she taunted.

"Look at the huuuuman," one of them hissed. "It thinks it's brave," another taunted.

"It smells tasty. Maybe it's worth something more than the other one," a third suggested as they circled her.

Rose rolled her eyes and looked at the woman cowering on the ground. "Go on, get a move on. Run!" Rose ordered and the girl complied. She turned to one of the Gelth, who other than its evil intent, would have looked almost beautiful. "Now then, where were we? Oh yeah, I want you lot out of my city and off my world."

The three laughed and charged her. Rose felt power envelop her like a warm blanket and could see these Gelth, how they moved, their intentions and a plan formed on how to stop them. It took her only a matter of moments to analyse and take an action. She ducked down and rolled to the side. The Gelth looked stunned and turned to stare at her. One snarled and charged her and she quickly deflected its attack and tossed him aside, tumbling down the alley. The other two ran at her and she moved faster than they could see, elbowing one in the nose and punching the other in the abdomen until both were bent over on the ground at her feet.

They looked up at her and Rose stood tall and powerful, looking down at them as if they were nothing to her. Power rolled off of her and a wind blew through the alley. "Get. Off. My. World," she said in an otherworldly voice, enunciating each word and making the Gelth flinch.

"What are you?" one whispered looking at her in awe and fear on his knees as if a supplicant before his Goddess.

"I am this world's protector and you are not welcome here. This is your only warning," she advised in an icy voice.

The Gelth trembled as the wind swirled around them in a whirlwind as Rose stood still and untouched by the maelstrom that was attacking them. They leapt up screaming and ran, still being pelted by pebbles, sand and debris. Rose watched as they fled, feeling satisfied. Perhaps things weren't as horrible as she thought. She could still do something good, help people and use what she'd been given to stop creatures like the Gelth from harming the people of this city.

As she walked home that night, she reminisced about the Doctor and how the universe had compensated for a lack of his presence. He was gone but she was here. London lost one protector to be replaced by another. She sighed as she contemplated this. Oh, how she missed him. Of course, she was worried she couldn't replace him in this regard. She didn't have his knowledge and… Rose paused. She didn't have his knowledge but someone else did. She smacked her head a few times.

"How could I be so stupid!" she shouted at herself. "Arthur! If anyone could survive a universal realignment, it would be Arthur." She cursed at herself for not going to him sooner. Still, it was possible the club wouldn't be there or be different or located somewhere else. The city was slightly different in some ways. Rose was determined to find him starting with her next free night which wouldn't be for several days. She walked home at a much brisker pace as hope dangled in front of her, encouraging onward and helping her to feel life sparking inside her and that all was not lost.

As the Doctor often lamented to her, the Universe could be a cruel or a royal pain in the arse. It seemed like anything that could go wrong did. She had to work double shifts at work or her mum insisted she go with her to Cousin Mo's for poker night and then there was the inevitable blind date her mother set up. She was forced to go out with a bloke who was the cousin of her mum's friend Debbie. He worked as a manager of the electronics department at some big tech store and thus her mum considered him a good prospect. Rose had been annoyed and rowed with her mother who insisted Rose needed to get out and date and move on with her life after dating who she called another useless wanker. Her mum also may have pointed out Rose wasn't getting any younger and needed to find someone who'd appreciate her and take care of her.

It had been a loud and passionate argument leaving Rose fuming and agreeing to go out with the blind date just that once but she also made clear that if her mum arranged something like that again without her consent, then she better plan on going because Rose wasn't. The argument ended with her mother snipping about how Rose had changed and not for the better.

The two women didn't talk for hours after that spat. Rose hadn't been pleased but went through with the date if only to keep the peace in the flat. She dressed in jeans, a pink top and cardigan and put on the long grey coat the Doctor gave her and which she saved from the trash where her mother attempted to toss it. She'd not been too pleased with her mother's insistence on binning anything the Doctor gave her.

The bloke, whose name was Eric, wasn't horrible. If she had met him before the Doctor, she might have been a little sweet on him. He was fit, tall, with thick dark hair and green eyes. He was nice enough too but admitted he was only there due to Cousin Debbie. At that point, Rose had relaxed and the two talked about interfering relatives. In the end, she learned he had a boyfriend that no one knew about. They both laughed it off and ended up friends.

Of course, there was also a few times Rose had to intervene when she ran across an alien or two causing trouble. One was a shoplifter in Henriks just as she was set to close. She walked up to him as his cloaking device, a shimmer she later learned, flickered. She crossed her arms and gave him her best glare. He had stared at her, his eyes big and full of fear. Later, she learned, she had a certain aura around her that some aliens could feel and they feared it. She guessed that's what happened when you were at the epicentre of a universal catastrophe.

The night she went out looking for the club, her mum was sitting in the living room watching the telly and looked over at her.

"Where you going?" she asked as she took in Rose, her shoulder length blonde hair curled about her shoulders and looking ready for a nigh out dressed in fitted black jeans, a sleeveless blue top that draped and dipped in front, wearing her boots and long coat.

"Just thought I'd go out for a bit. I could use a night out."

"With who?" Jackie asked, sitting up now and growing suspicious.

"No one. Just going out on my own. Why?"

"Alone? Rose, are you meeting someone? Who is he?" Jackie demanded.

Rose rolled her eyes. "I'm not meeting anyone. I'm just going out for a bit. Can't I go out and have some fun? Weren't you the one telling me to start living my life, go out and meet people?"

"Yes, but on a date or with friends. You do have friends who you haven't done anything with in weeks!"

"I was working, out with you or out with what's his name, Eric. Besides, I don't want to sit around the pub watching a bunch of blokes get pissed and have to lug them home."

"I honestly don't understand you, Rose, going out with some bloke that used you, tossin' Mickey aside when he's done nothin' but look after you, avoidin' your friends and not giving Eric a chance when he was a looker and had a job! And now this! Going off alone to do what? Get in more trouble. Well, don't expect me to bail you out again."

Rose counted to ten before she spoke. "Yeah, I am different, I grew up. It's a hard world out there. I watched my mum struggle to raise me and I've seen how awful things can be. I want better, for me and for you. I'm working hard for that, Mum. I'm not forgettin' where I come from and it's not like I don't talk to my friends, I texted Shareen the other day. I just…I want to go out there and see what else there is. The world is such a big place," she said, looking out a window and then back at her mother who didn't look happy. "I love you but you have to let me go off and try new things."

"And does that mean running after some no good bloke who left you in some gutter in God knows where alone and crying!" Jackie shouted and stood up. "Cause that's what it looks like to me. You tartin' yourself up to go out lookin' for trouble. You've got decent friends here! But no, we're not good enough for you are we?" Jackie shouted.

"I didn't say that!" Rose shouted back. "I want a better life for both of us! Why can't you let me just try to make things better?"

"Because you'll leave me!"

Rose paused and looked at her and then walked over and hugged her tight. "No, Mum. I'm not going to do that. No matter where life takes me, you're still my mum and I love you," she said tearfully.

They parted and Jackie looked at her, tears trailing down her face. "I'm so proud of you, I am. I just…you're my daughter and I want to protect you, keep you safe and make sure you don't have to struggle like I did."

Rose smiled at her, sniffling. "You made me strong, like you and now you have to trust that. I promise you, I'm just going out to a club for a drink, maybe some dancing or a little karaoke. I just need to blow off some steam from work. That's all."

After a while, Jackie seemed to accept that Rose wasn't in trouble or had fallen in with a bad crowd and made her promise to text when she was on her way home. After leaving, Rose realized how important that row was for both her and her mum. In fact, it was another piece of the puzzle to living in this new world. Old Rose, as she called her past, was now firmly behind her and she didn't have to pretend quite so much anymore. It was liberating.

It took her two hours to find the club. In the end, she realized she needed to stop relying on her eyes and start dipping into the parts of herself that weren't exactly human. She hadn't really tried anything like this before. There was an element of fear in her reticence. She'd only allowed herself to channel this thing inside herself when protecting someone and facing off against annoying aliens. That was different. It was more controlled and focused while this was just freeing it and letting it stretch outward to explore. What if something bad happened and she couldn't reel it back in? What about Anesidora? Was she gone or just sleeping? What if…. The worries were endless but she couldn't let fear rule her and so Rose stopped, closed her eyes and focused inward.

She could feel the spin of the Earth, hear the whisper of time, taste life ebbing and flowing around her and see subtle traces of things that were and could be. She focused on Arthur, whispering his name, seeking him out and felt herself pulled down a few dark alleys until she came to neon sign for a club called _Haven_.

Rose looked up and smiled. "Universal shift. Everything just a bit off," she muttered and wandered down into the club. The name but be different but the interior was exactly the same, concrete and brick walls, blue lights, long bar backlit in blue, low pulsing music, same suave bartender and a stage off to one side with white dressed round tables nearby. She walked further in but didn't see Arthur. A familiar waitress, Sunny, walked up and acted if she didn't know Rose and when Rose asked for Arthur, the waitress told her to have a seat at the bar.

The bar patrons stared at her, quieting as she neared. Rose ordered a Pooshian Milk Fizz which the bartender silently served while standing back, trying to pretend like he wasn't looking at her.

Arthur slid onto a seat next to her. "And who does Arthur owe for sending such a gorgeous girl like you into my bar?" he flirted.

Rose smiled and looked at him. He was the same down to the gorgeous green spikes on his head to the lovely aubergine of his suit. "You don't remember me, do you?"

Arthur stared at her for a moment. "Doll, I doubt anyone could forget you. Soooo, tell me, what can I… do for you?" he purred, a twinkle in his golden brown eyes.

"Oh Arthur, I…I need your help. You don't remember it, but you helped me and my friend, the Doctor once before."

Arthur abruptly slid off is chair looking less flirty and more annoyed. "Look, baby doll, I don't know who sent you but Arthur doesn't get involved with all powerful stick up their arses vindictive Gallifreyans and especially not the Doctor. His kind are nothing but trouble and I mean of the death and destruction kind and they don't take kindly to anyone interfering in their affairs."

"Gallifreyans…they were his people," Rose murmured with a smile and then turned to Arthur. "The Doctor was a friend, he…he helped me and you helped us sort of save the universe only things, they got complicated."

Arthur laughed. "I think you have the wrong, Arthur, honey. Universe saving is not my gig. Sorry, I can't help but hey, have a drink on the house and good luck."

He walked away and Rose stood up tapping into her abilities. "You called me Petunia."

The entire bar went silent and Arthur slowly turned around and looked at her. "Whoa. That's some serious mojo, Petunia."

Rose smiled and released a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Yeah, you sort of told me that last time."

"Last time? Riiiiggght." The bartender called to Arthur and jerked his head toward Rose.

Arthur looked at her. "Look honey, could you turn it down a bit? This place is…"

"Neutral territory," Rose finished. "Yeah, I remember. Sorry, I'm still new at this stuff." She took a deep breath and thought of being warm and toasty in her bed and calmed down. When she opened her eyes Arthur was staring at her open mouthed.

"Ohhhh I think you need to…"

"Sing for you?" Rose asked, cocking her head to the side and smiling flirtatiously at him.

Arthur stared at her for a moment before a smile lit his face. "Maybe we have met before. Let's get a little comfie over here," he suggested and seated her at the same table she and the Doctor sat the last time she'd been there or at least there in another world.

Arthur ordered drinks for them and then he just sat and stared at her for a moment. "There's something about you, Pumpkin. I dunno, an echo maybe?"

Rose sipped her drink and looked up at him sadly. This place brought back memories of her and the Doctor and it hit her harder than she thought it would. She tucked some hair behind her ear and sighed. "Yeah, probably. Do you wanna know now or should I just sing for you?"

"That bad huh? Why am I not surprised?"

Rose gulped her drink and stood up. "Best I just get this over with. If it's okay with you?"

"Ready when you are, Flower."

Rose walked over and chose _Unforgettable_. She poured every bit of emotion into that song, belting it out with passion. When she was done and went back to the table, Arthur looked at her with an expression of awe mixed with terror.

"Petunia, you…I know you. It's like this dream and not the fun kind. Like some weird psychotropic trip through a dimension of gloom ending in big bang two." He held his hand out and martini was deposited into it. He took a long sip and looked back at her. "You are this big whopping metaphysical flower that's blossomed and wow just wow. It's like…"

"That time the Crespallion Armada stopped off for a bit of party?" she asked with a watery smile.

Arthur grinned. "Yeah, but something's happened, like big super bad the gods are raining hell on Earth bad." He shook his head and leaned in. "And you were a part of it, the centre of it, but not alone. That's it isn't it? You lost something, someone and you came here hoping I could help you."

"Oh Arthur," Rose said, the tears flowing freely. "You don't know the half of it." Rose spent the next hour, crying and telling Arthur her story. Drinks flowed freely and Arthur listened. After she finished and was stirring a swizzle in some pink drink, Arthur began to speak.

"Ya know, I get a lot of people crying their heart or hearts out in here. A few over blowing up their planet, some 'cos their best friends sister stole their life mate, some 'cos they have piss poor fashion but you Petunia, you are part of the special ones of my life's shit 'cos I blew up the universe. It's an elite club and not one I ever want to join."

Rose's brow furrowed. "I don't wanna know how many times the universe's been blowed up do I?" she asked.

Arthur grinned and clinked his glass with hers. "A fair amount more than most know but hey, it all works out. We're here and this time thanks to you and your friend."

Rose stared down at the table, her fingers drawing circles as she thought about the Doctor.

Arthur reached a hand over and rested it on her wrist. "Don't lose hope. There's something about you, something good and important. You said I told you were always coming to this and that's true. You are what you need to be and what the universe needs you to be. I don't know about this world we used to live in, the world of misery and darkness."

"It wasn't bad!" she defended. "Maybe it wasn't all sunshine and gardens but people were still happy. We made our own happiness and sometimes, we found someone who made us happier than we ever thought possible."

"Sweet Pea, ease up on the gloom. It doesn't sound like your Doctor wanted you to wallow and give up and you've done okay for yourself here. Confidentially," he said and winked at her. "I think you even have some impressive street cred here if what I've heart about you is true. You're the blonde avenger everyone's been whispering about, aren't you?" he asked slyly.

Rose smiled shyly. "Um, maybe. I might have saved a few people and ordered a few aliens to you know behave or leave."

Arthur laughed quietly. "I'll bet you did. And people noticed. You should keep that in mind. That's not always a good thing, trust me," he confided and looked around the room to see who was watching them.

"So what else did you see?" she asked, worried but needing to know.

"You're not done yet. There's a whole lot more ahead of you, Flower. Whether you want it or not, you're part of what happened, sort of like the spark plug in a combustion engine that makes up the universe. It needs you whether it's to keep things moving along, clear out the pipes, kick a few arses every now and then or just to be your smiling self. You are part of something bigger."

"And the Doctor?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

He shrugged. "Gallifrey is a legendary place. No one goes there but everybody who's anybody knows about it. A bunch of arrogant, know it alls with no sense of humour! Every once in a while they pay a visit to the lesser worlds, make their mark, proverbially pee on a few lamp posts and then leave in disgust because we aren't as advanced and could never understand their lofty and superior ideals!" he said and rolled his eyes. He leaned into her. "Of course there are a few scofflaws, rebels and renegades that like to party a bit more, get their hands dirty, curse, have a few drinks, gossip with the locals and live a little. I hear your Doctor is one of them and maybe he'll pop in for pint one of these days."

"Do you…do you think he'll remember me?" Rose asked, still emotional over this topic and nervously twisting a cocktail napkin.

"I don't know," Arthur answered softly. "His kind are different, they have a unique relationship with time and the universe, they see and experience things differently. If I can get a glimmer of what the world was like before you put your divine whammy on it, maybe he can. You never know."

"Yeah." Rose nodded and thanked him.

As she was walking out, he stopped her. "Rose, you know you're welcome here anytime. You saved the universe, I think that's earned you a couple free drinks."

She turned and hugged him. He was stunned at first and then embraced her, patting her back. When she pulled away, she smiled bright as she could at him which although not the joyous smile that once graced her face, still imbibed Arthur with a warm feeling. "Thanks Arthur, for being my friend. I'll remember this, what you did for me."

She left the bar and a stunned Arthur. He made his way back to his bartender who looked at him expectantly. "I think…I just scored points with a Goddess." The bartender snorted and looked at him askance.

"Oh, all right," Arthur admitted, drink in his hand waving around for emphasis. "Maybe not quite a Goddess. Demi Goddess, heroine, oracle, divine all powerful avatar of the universe or you know whatever… Definitely, a force to be reckoned with and one that likes me now. Better than a stick in your eye." He held up his drink reflecting the blue light and then sipped. "Trust me, you want that one on your side."

Two blue skinned aliens with black markings covering their skin had stood up to follow her but when she'd paused at the door to look back at them, her golden eyes glaring back almost searing them with intensity, they wisely sat back down and grabbed their drinks. She smirked and walked out the door, her coat flaring about her.

Arthur smiled and looked back at his bartender. "Definitely a Goddess."

dwdwdwdwdwdwwdwdwdwwdw

Rose's life went on and perhaps a little better now that she and her mother had a better understanding and since she'd found Arthur. The Doctor was still often on her mind. Every alley she passed, triggered memories of times which were trying and yet precious to her. She still had the odd alien encounter but Arthur had been right and she had a bit of a reputation now. It occurred to her one night walking home how much of the Doctor had imprinted on her and now she was more like him. A laugh bubbled up as she thought this. How many times had she teased him for being sad, grumpy and generally negative and here she was feeling some of those same emotions. Except, she'd like to think she wasn't quite so grumpy.

Still, it made her feel closer to him. He was an important part of her life and she remembered him saying a piece of him would always be with her. She smiled as she thought about that and believed it, felt it in her heart. Her mum didn't understand why she clung to his memory but he was so much more and she knew she couldn't explain it. Rose just continued to live her life the best she could, even if it was boring her to tears in many ways. This was how humans lived and she needed to get used to it.

Soon, the Christmas season was upon them and Henriks was hopping with Christmas shoppers. Rose was working nonstop. It wasn't that she loved the job but it kept her busy and the extra money would help her mum. She hadn't exaggerated when she said she wanted to make life better for her mother. Of course, nonstop shifts at Henriks during holiday season could be brutal and she was often shifted around to different departments wherever they needed her.

It was in the specialty holiday shop that life took an unexpected twist. At first she didn't notice because she was so busy, but in between rushes, she saw them, a group of themed Christmas trees. It was like she and the Doctor had found in her head. Rose had stood off to the side staring at them, a little afraid of the parallel and what it meant. It was eerily familiar.

She became busy with customers and distracted but she kept glancing back at them, those themed trees. Eventually, she couldn't resist. Another salesgirl came to give her a break and she wandered over, cautiously and nervously looking at a tree dressed all in gold and white lights, one with a football theme, another, an elegant Victorian and then a tree that was tucked back in a corner almost separate from the others. It was unique, special, her tree. She wasn't sure how she knew that but it was.

She smiled as she gazed into its depths, the branches lit with white fairy lights. It was dotted with sprigs of silver leaves, white plumed feathers, scarlet tassels, gold coins and white iridescent ribbons. It captivated her and she swore she heard music, some ancient song that thrummed through her. Tears pricked her eyes as she remembered another time gazing at this tree and she could almost feel her Doctor near. She ran her finger tips over the ribbon and made a wish on the star at the top of the tree to let her find him, at least once more just to know he was okay.

As she stared into the tree, two arms wrapped around her waist and held her firmly to a lean hard torso. "I told you once, you need to be alert. You never know when an alien might jump out and try and snatch you and do…wicked things to you," a gruff male voice whispered into her ear.

Rose felt her heart slam inside her chest as a familiar scent surrounded her and she shut her eyes tight afraid that if she opened them she'd find out this was a dream. She could barely talk when she felt the brush of scruff against her neck as lips brushed against her skin.

"Wicked things?" she finally said in a raspy voice. "Know a thing or two about them and cheeky aliens mucking about in London. Sent a few on their way, I have."

"I know," he growled into her neck. "Made quite a ruckus here being all the big bad defender of the Earth. Trying to take my job are you?"

"You were gone," she said in a much quieter voice than she wanted.

He turned her around in his arms. "Rose, look at me," he ordered.

"No, I can't."

"Look at me!" he commanded again in a firm voice.

"What if…if I open my eyes and you disappear or it's all a dream," she said in a shaky tearful voice, her eyes still tightly shut. "I'd rather stay this way for a moment, just a moment to believe you're really here. I missed you so much."

He was silent for a moment and she almost feared it really was a dream until she felt his forehead pressed against hers, felt a warm presence in her mind and his voice reverberated deep inside of her. "Rose," he said in a sultry, growling tone only he had. "I need you to look at me, please."

Her eyes fluttered open to find oh so familiar warm brown eyes staring at her, through her, into her soul, branding her with a look of longing and hunger. "Doctor," she breathed out.

"About time. It was going to be annoying if I had to lead you around with your eyes shut."

She laughed as tears trickled down her face. "Git!"

"Maybe, a little, but one who missed you and was a little peeved to find himself back in the middle of a bunch of arguing, boring bureaucratic council members nattering on with shrewish Pythia Sisters."

"Yeah?" she asked in a hoarse voice. "How 'bout me stuck alone in underground tunnels with a bunch of rats only to find out the world changed?" she tried to tease.

His face darkened. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah," she said softly, looking him up and down, her hands resting on his chest to assure her he was real. "It's been…hard being here. My, mum she's here but she doesn't remember anything and everything's just…"

He pulled her into his arms and hugged her to him as if he was afraid someone would whisk her away. "We made a new universe, you, me and Anesidora." She nodded against his chest and he pulled back slightly.

"It threw me back to the beginning, to where I started and where my people needed to start over. Everything changed on Gallifrey. Where there were no Pythia, suddenly there were a thousand or more. My people were…annoyed," he confided and then grinned at her.

Rose smiled back at him. "And you had to make nice with them? Teach 'em how to get on?"

He snorted. "Don't know if they'll ever get on but they got the idea of what would happen if they didn't."

"And the Fates, they didn't do anything to you did they? I mean it's not all gonna crash down on us?"

"Ohhh they may have demanded a certain blonde saviour of the universe be delivered to them so they could, I dunno, consecrate you as a sort of living goddess, toss flowers at you and you know carve statutes and sacrifice small animals on altars in your honour."

Rose scrunched up her face in revulsion. "Ewww, I don't want anyone murdering anything in my honour. This goddess thing sounds a bit rubbish."

"I told them that! Not that they listened to me and then they started calling for scribes and argued about passing decrees and then things got really boring." He shuddered and Rose giggled. "It's not funny. My people could spend the human equivalent of years arguing over whether or not we should recognise the official reorder of the universe on a Monday or Tuesday much less whether or not the official host of Anesidora should be deified."

Rose's smile fell and her gaze dropped. The Doctor quickly lifted her chin with his index finger. "I told them all to shove it up their arse. No one touches my Rose and then I broke the quarantine and came back to Earth to find you and where do I find my amazing Rose? In a shop, working retail," he said with derision. "You, who saved me, my people and the universe, who deserves to be relaxing on a beach drinking fruity drinks whilst I personally see to rubbing your fair skin with, appropriate lotion, are someplace…boring."

Rose felt herself getting angry. As happy as she was to see him and she did understand what he said about his world and people and being stuck there, she was still hurt, upset and furious that she had been left alone to figure things out. Her eyes sparkled with fiery hints of gold as evidence of the changes in her, her new status in the universe manifested in a wave of fury that smacked into him, jarring him to the core and igniting a response to her, his Rose and the person she was, that he loved.

"Boring!" she exclaimed, the racks of Christmas ornaments near them vibrating with her anger. "Well Mr. high and mighty alien godlike being, some of us don't have the luxury of running around London doing what we want with no need for money or resources. We have to make a living and take care of my mum! And we have to do it while figuring out this world that's got all these differences like there's no Nutella here!" she shouted and jabbed her finger into his chest.

He stared at her looking indignant, feeling a warm silky feeling inside of him that was reacting to her essence. She was glorious and a smile lit his face followed by a rumble of laughter. "A world without Nutella! The outrage!" he teased.

Rose slapped his arm. "It's not funny. I was on my own! You were gone and I didn't know…"

His face fell as he saw the emotions on her face cycling from anger to sadness and tears welling again. Her pain was his pain and he was overcome with a need to make things right, fill her with goodness and happy things.

"I didn't know if you were alive or if I'd see you again," she finally finished.

He slid his hands up her arms and cupped her face, gazing into her eyes. "I told you that a piece of me is with you and a piece of you is with me and no one can change that. I meant it. I will always find you! Always! No one will take you from me," he said with a dark gleam in his eyes. "If I could have had this another way I would have. Do you think I liked it? That I wasn't out there thinking about what was happening and worrying if you were safe? You were my priority, to get back to here to you on this primitive backwater planet. Me, with all of time and space at my disposal and all I could think about was you, my not quite human Rose."

She burst into tears and he pressed his lips to hers, snogging her for all he was worth, wrapping his arms around her to show her as much as telling her that he was hers and she was his. The world fell away and it was just them, life pulsing through and around them. The universe had changed and so had they. He could feel that now and so could she. It was like Arthur had told her, they were part of something bigger.

Her supervisor coughed loudly and the Doctor turned his gaze on him. The man, who had been a bit of twat to Rose, shrunk back apologizing and giving Rose the rest of the day off. Rose giggled and looked at him. "Some things don't change no matter universal upheaval."

He gave her a satisfied look. "Still got it," he confided in that rough voice of his.

"Wish you still had that bath tub," Rose said wistfully as she gathered her pocket book and he guided her out of the store and onto the street.

"Who says I don't?" he asked as he guided her down the street

"But, after I got out of the tunnels I went to Canary Wharf looking for you and the building, it was…filled with people."

He grinned like the cat that ate the canary. "Universal shift. I moved up in the world."

Rose arched a brow at him.

"How do you feel about a secret hide out hidden away in London's tallest building?"

Rose shook her head, laughed and bumped her shoulder against his. "Fine as long as it has a bathtub for two with warm water and those wonderful bath oils."

"The lady shall not be disappointed. In fact, I think she may never want leave and after all, I do have to protect her."

Rose stopped and shot him an irritated look. "Been protecting myself just fine. Course, now you're here, I expect things'll get busy and I'll have to watch your arse."

He got a smug expression on his face. "You can watch my arse all day and night if you like," he suggested with a waggle of his eyebrows and his hand sliding down to grab her own bum.

It was very him to be cocky although this playful demeanour was a bit new but nice. He deserved it. She thought back to how they had indeed saved each other and then her smile faded a bit as she thought about the danger and how it affected not just them. "My mum, what about…"

He flinched and frowned. "No, we are not living with your mother," he said, spitting out the word like it tasted bad.

"Oi! That's my mum you're talkin about!" She smacked him on the shoulder again. "And I'm worried about her. Remember last time? I have to keep her safe."

He quieted and a touch of his previous darkness descended upon him as he stared down the street, almost as if he was contemplating the fate that fell on any who dared touch Rose or her mother.

"I will allow no harm to befall your mother. I may have made arrangements with a friend to watch over her and might have made sure her latest lottery ticket was a wee bit lucky," he explained.

"You did that for me?" she asked in disbelief, love for him shining in her face.

"No, I did it for me! For us," he retorted, holding her hand tightly in his. "Your mother will be settled and safe. I knew you'd want that. And I…" he said with a lascivious smile. "get to keep you for myself, at least most of the time, to have my wicked way with you, corrupt you here and there and maybe sweep you away and show you the universe now and then," he said leaning in and resting his forehead against hers again. "But first, I think I could use a bit of a back scrub," he murmured with a gleam in his eyes.

"Yeah? I hear bath water is more fun than rain," she teased as she looped her arm through his and they strode down the street, people moving out of their way without knowing why. The universe had shifted, changed but one thing would never change, the Doctor and Rose Tyler, they were the stuff of myths and legends.


End file.
